dickbraswell

Word for Today:  August 31

The world will never understand a spiritually minded believer.

We simply believe what the Word says about who we are, what we have and what we can do.

• The Word says we are kings and priests. Therefore, we act like kings and priests.
• The Word says we are healed and not sick. Therefore, we act like we are healed.
• The Word says we are the head and not the tail. Therefore, we act like we are the head.
• The Word says we are above and not beneath. Therefore, we act like we are above our circumstances and situations.
• The Word says we are rich and not poor. Therefore, we act like we are rich.
• The Word says we are more than a conqueror. Therefore, we act like overcoming conquerors.
• The Word says we can do all things through Christ and nothing shall be impossible to us. Therefore, we act like nothing will ever be impossible for us.

We have the courage and the faith to attempt the impossible, see the invisible and obtain the supernatural.

So don’t worry about being “misunderstood…”

Word for Today:  August 30

Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 1Cor. 4:2

There are so many times pastors are tempted to quit or to compromise when they see so many of God’s Army who have defected or who have gone AWOL.   But when we see those who are Faithful… those who have remained steadfast and unmovable… our hearts are encouraged and we know that we must persevere… we must go on.

We cannot quit.  These are members of Gideon’s Three Hundred… they never stop to consider the opposition, the magnitude of the problem, or the impossible odds… they simply stand.  They stay.  They stick.

One individual has often done what a whole congregation was not able to do.  One family has often done what an entire nation could not do.  One church has often done what an entire denomination could not do.

Gideon’s three hundred easily did what the fearful twenty-two thousand who departed in a hurry for home, could not possibly have done.

Folks, hundreds of years have passed since Gideon’s time, but the Three Hundred still remain.  The brotherhood has been perpetuated and their spiritual posterity continues to live.  The tenth leper who returned to thank Jesus for his healing was a member of this band.

The 120 who took time to leave the stuff at home and the work at hand to head into Jerusalem and wait for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost belonged to this band.   Paul and Silas, singing and praising God with bloody backs, locked in stocks in a midnight prison, were members of this band.

Thank God for those who are “Found Faithful.”

They are members of God’s Best

Word for Today:  August 29

I was in a meeting one time and various pastors were testifying.  They were telling (bragging) of the growth and expansion of their respective churches.  They were sharing how many new members they had added over the past year.

One pastor stood and testified:   “We have just experienced the greatest revival in our history.  When I came to my church we had about 500 members.  But I began to work very hard.  I preached with all my heart.  God began to move.  Now, after a year of hard work we are greatly blessed with seventy-five members.

Started with 500 and lost 425.    But 75 are there for every meeting.  75 tithe.  75 pray and seek God.  75 are in Sunday School.  75 give to missions.  75 volunteer for all work that is necessary.  75 visit.  75 are soul winners.  75 are doing more than 500 ever did… Glory be to God.”

Jesus experienced such a sifting of His disciples.  The first mass exodus came when He began to go deeper into spiritual things.  He said that if they followed Him they would have to eat His body and drink His blood.  They would become partakers of His divine nature.  This was too much.  Many fell away and never followed Him again.

He asked His own inner circle of twelve, “Will you also go away?”

Then after His Resurrection, He met 500 of His followers in Galilee and told them to go into Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father… the mighty Baptism of the Holy Ghost…

And yet, when this Outpouring took place, only 120 of the 500 were present.  380 did not find it convenient to do what Jesus said do… and they missed the mightiest visitation of God in history.

Wonder where the 380 were?

Word for Today:  August 28

Jesus Paid it All.

The devil and all demon powers are forever dethroned and defeated.  At the fall of Adam, satan gained control and dominion over all the earth.  At the Resurrection of Jesus,  satan was factually and actually dethroned and defeated.   he is stripped of all his power and authority.  Relegated to the role as the mother of all losers.

The Resurrection of Jesus was and is the final proof of satan’s downfall and defeat.  Because Jesus lives… sickness, sin, defeat, sorrow, death, sadness are all forever conquered.  We (Believers) have been redeemed from satan’s dominion and we have legally become the masters and rulers of satan and all his demons.  We have power over the devil because Jesus rose from the dead.  We can cast out devils. We can heal the sick.  We can call things that “be not” not as though they were.  We can overcome poverty and distress and pain and need.  Because Jesus is alive… we are filled with Resurrection Life.

There will be no judgment for us like it was for Jesus.  God will not forsake us.   For us there will be no Cross… no crown of thorns… no separation from God… no suffering in hell… no guilt and no condemnation.

Jesus paid it all… All to Him I owe…Sin had left a crimson stain… He washed it white as snow

Elvina M. Hall  1865

Word for Today:  August 27

And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. Judg. 6:12

I’m quite sure that Gideon did not feel like a mighty man of valor.  He had been hiding out behind the barn to thresh the wheat so that the Midianites could not see him.  He was afraid.  He had no confidence in himself.  He was intimidated by the enemy.  Yet, God calls him a “Mighty man of valor.”

This is what God calls you.  He calls you what you are… not what you feel like you are.  You may be hiding behind the barn, but He sees you with a Sword in your hand.

There is no lottery program in the Call of God.    The call is direct and personal and based on something God sees within the person He is calling.   He sees in you possibility.  He sees in you capability.  He sees in you potential.  He sees your Heart and He know what kind of a heart you have.

It is noticeable that the Lord does not call men (or women) who are lazy.   We see the Lord calling industrious and faithful men when He chooses His prophets, His apostles and His ambassadors.

• Moses was taken from his flocks.
• David from the sheepfold.
• Elisha was in the field plowing with 12 yoke of oxen when the mantle of Elijah fell upon him.
• Peter, John and James were fishing when Jesus summoned them to follow Him.
• Matthew was busy in his office as a tax-gatherer when the call of Heaven came.
• Gideon was threshing wheat when the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing…. God sees POTENTIAL in you.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.    Ecc 9:10

Word for Today:  August 26

Has God lied?

If God is really with us, then why are so many defeated?  Where are the miracles?  Where are the signs?  Where are those angels of deliverance?  Why are bad things happening to us?  Why are the righteous forsaken and the godly cast down?

Good questions.  Has God lied?  Is the Bible not true?  Just what is the matter?

The answer to all such questions is sin.  Man forsakes God.  God never forsakes man.  Man leaves God.  God never leaves man.  The reason Israel had experienced such devastation was that Israel had forsaken God.  They had given in to the worship of Baal.  They had built groves to sacrifice to false gods.  They had backslidden.  They fell into sin.  They forsook God.

The result is always suffering.  Sin has its own consequences.  The suffering and defeat and death is not caused by God or sent by God, the consequences are the natural results of sin.  The Bible declares that the wages of sin is death.  But the Gift of God is Eternal Life.

When men sin they fall under the Law of sin and death.  To be carnally minded is death.  To be Spiritually minded is life and peace.  Israel sinned.  Israel suffered.  Man sins, man suffers.

It’s that simple

Word for Today:  August 25

 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature (Creation); old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new… II Cor 5:17.

Therefore if any person is (engrafted) in Christ, the Messiah, he is (a new creature altogether,) a new creation; the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away, behold the fresh and new has come…  II Cor 5:17 AMP.

Adam (man) lived in the realm of the Spirit in the Garden of Eden.  He was created in Perfection and he lived in Perfection until the entrance of sin.

• Adam had perfect Fellowship with God. He was totally righteous and free from any and all condemnation.   He did not sin before he met the enemy.
• Adam lived in Perfect and Perpetual health. He was never sick and he was never weak.  He lived in state of continual well-being.
• Adam was prosperous. He had no needs that were not met and he experienced no lack and no want.  He had food, shelter, protection, fellowship and companionship.  He was totally without lack or need.
• Adam suffered no pain. He never had an accident or lived under any circumstance.  He was free from fear and anxiety.  He lived by faith.
• Adam was Perfect. He was perfect in Mind, Body and Spirit.  He was strong and mentally alert.  He was perfect in every way.
• Adam orchestrated Nature and enjoyed its cooperation. The earth worked with Adam in providing an abundant supply of every need.  The animal and plant kingdom were blessed because of Adam.
• Adam operated in and exercised authority and control over the World God had created for him. God was “number One” and Adam was “number two”.

When Adam died spiritually, that spiritual death was passed down to all his posterity… the whole human race.

Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men… Rom 5:12.

Adam’s sin resulted in the whole human race dying spiritually.  Every man is born with a dead spirit.  That is why Jesus told Nicodemus:  “Ye must be Born Again…”

Our dead spirit is “Quickened” or made alive at the time we are Born Again.  This means “re-created” or “restored” (Eph 2:1).

What God did in Christ is greater than what satan did in Adam.

What God IN You is greater than what satan can do TO you

Word for Today:  August 25

Word for Today:  August 24

Born Again.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  John 3:3,7

What does this mean?

• “Born Again” is an Experience.
• “Born Again” is an Encounter with God.
• “Born Again” is a Personal Decision.
• “Born Again” is Supernatural.
• “Born Again” is Jesus coming into your heart.
• “Born Again” is a Work of the Holy Spirit.
• “Born Again” is the Impartation and infusion of God’s divine nature into you.
• “Born Again” means Transformation.
• “Born Again” means Regeneration.
• “Born Again” means Repent.
• “Born Again” means becoming like Christ.
• “Born Again” means being made Righteous.
• “Born Again” means victory over death, hell and the grave.
• “Born Again” means eternal life.
• “Born Again” means separated from the world.
• “Born Again” means becoming a New Creation.

It is not religion.  It is not good works. It is not belonging to a church.  It is not being baptized. It is not being sweet and nice and kind and considerate.  It is not being “better” than some Church Members you might know.  It is not some religious tradition or doctrinal custom.  It cannot be done for you by some priest or religious dogma.  It is personal.  It is possible and available for anyone.  It is the Result of the Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ.  It is free for the asking.  It is the Gift of God.  It is Eternal Life.

It is being Born Again.

Except a man be BORN AGAIN he cannot see the Kingdom of God John 3:3

Word for Today:  August 23

Proper Knowledge.

It is important for you to know who you are, what you have and what you can do as a believer.   The devil constantly tempts you to doubt all of the above.   he wants you to doubt who you are (he tried to get Jesus to doubt Who He was) or to wonder who you are or to be ignorant of who you are.  As long as you are not sure of your position in Christ and your authority as a believer, your faith will not work.

You cannot receive what you do not know about.  God has raised up anointed ministries in order to instruct believers of their privileges and rights which are revealed in the Word.   The power of this Truth working in your spirit will produce change in your soul (mind) and in your body.

As you get the Word built up in you, Faith is produced and developed because faith comes by hearing the Word.   As your Faith is perfected you come into fresh revelation concerning your Position in Christ.  God has called, appointed and anointed individuals who are operating in the five-fold ministry (Eph 4) in the Body as Master Craftsmen to perfect you (build you up) in ministry.   You are “God’s Building.”

 … ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.  1Co 3:9

Let the Work continue