dickbraswell

Word for Today:  March 21

Pull out what God has put in

God has sown seed into every Believer.  The ultimate purpose of seed is to Produce.

What God has planted in you He has destined to come out of you.  It may be in seed form now, but the seed has the power to grow into its fullest manifestation.

In the parable of the Sower (Mark 4), there is an interesting word that is translated “sow.”  It is spi’ ro  and it is derived from a primitive Greek verb which means “to draw out.”

The Bible concept of sowing is DRAWING OUT or PULLING OUT what God has PUT IN.

It does not mean to scatter or throw out or to cast out it means to “draw out” or “pull out.”  In order for the Seed of God to produce, the ground must PULL OUT of it what GOD has PUT IN IT.

Paul tells the Philippians to “work out your own salvation.” (2:12b)  And this is the idea of “working out” or “pulling out” what God has put in.

In order for seed God has sown into you to produce,  YOU have an important responsibility. 

You must PULL OUT what God has put in.

Word for Today:  March 20

I believe we have missed the point somewhere.

Religion has formed opinions and manufactured definitions of what church is.  I wonder if church is today what it was in the first century.  I wonder if we did today what they did in the first century… would we qualify as ministers…. Or churches… or Christian assemblies?   Would it be acceptable? Would it fit in our specified service times?  What would happen?

Perhaps we have become acclimated and accustomed to contemporary activity that we call “church” and maybe it is not church at all… at least not church in the sense of the New Testament definition.

Does God wonder what we are doing?  Maybe we should re-evaluate what we do on the Lord’s Day and what happens on Sunday and then compare it with Scripture and see if it is really church or not.

Much of what we call “church” is not church at all.  It may qualify as a “meeting” but it certainly is not “Church.”  Our first question after the services should be “did we have Church?  Or did we just have a meeting.”  Many services in many churches would go right on without the Holy Ghost showing up and many would never know the difference.

• Church is not church if nothing happens.
• Church is not church if shock waves are not sent through hell. (Remember the “gates of hell” thing?)
• Church is not church if people in church can sleep right through it.
• Church is not church when everything is planned, scheduled and orchestrated by professional religious personnel.
• Church is not church if there is no excitement. No movement.  No action.
• Church is not church if there is no rejoicing.
• Church is not church if folks are not saved and lives are not changed.

Real Church is radical

Word for Today:  March 19

Meeting with God.

When Moses met God on Sinai, the meeting nearly blew the top of the mountain off.

When Elijah met God on Mt. Carmel, a Fire Storm fell from heaven, licked up trenches filled with water and announced that God answers by Fire.

When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego met God in the fiery furnace they survived unscathed (through a seven-times-hotter furnace than ever) and Jesus came and celebrated with them.

When Solomon met God in the New Temple, the power of God was so great that every priest and every singer and every worshipper could not stand on their feet.

When Jesus the Man met God at Calvary, thunder came and darkness fell and a great earthquake shook all of Jerusalem… even the graves were opened and the dead walked among the living.

When the 120 met God in the upper room, tongues of fire fell, sounds like a howling hurricane blew through the house and they all began to speak in tongues.

When the church in Acts had a prayer meeting the place was “shaken.”

These trail-blazing Saints encountered God and the encounter was significant.  It was noticed.  Something happened.

When we Encounter God…. Something happens.  Something that cannot be unnoticed.

Something significant.  Something supernatural.  Something life-changing.

Word for Today: March 18

We are suffering loss because we have allowed suffering to happen.

Every defeat and every spiritual failure is the result of our laziness, our ignorance, our stupidity or our rebellion.

satan moves in when he is not resisted.  satan stays when we draw back and let him stay.   satan sets up housekeeping when we give place to him.  satan builds strongholds when we do not fight back.  satan cannot do what he is not allowed to do.

Our spiritual condition is precisely what we have allowed it to become.  We can fuss and cuss about the government about world conditions about immorality and crime and ungodliness… we can criticize and complain but what IS is what we as the Body of Christ have allowed to be.

God has equipped us and supplied us with every effective and offensive weapon to stop the devil and drive out demons and take back what hell has stolen… the problem is we have grown fat and lazy and we have crawled into our recliners and gone to sleep.

And while we slept the enemy came and invaded.  Now it is time to attack.  It is time to declare our independence from the powers of darkness… it is the hour to move into the territory of the devil… to charge the gates of hell and demand a refund.  With interest.

Just go ahead and do it.

Word for Today:  March 17

People want to see Jesus.

The world is tired of seeing Church and Performance and Form and Custom.  They want to see Jesus.  I want to see Jesus.  Jesus has been buried under Religion and the traditions of men and doctrines that have sanitized God and ripped the miraculous out of the Bible.

People are tired of Professional Preachers and Social clubs called churches.     We have kept Jesus covered and hidden by our veneer of hypocrisy.  What we do speaks louder than what we say.  Who we really are is often not what people see.

It is not great preaching that is needed or great preachers…not bigger churches or better facilities…. People need to see Jesus.  People want to see Jesus.  People must see Jesus.  When Jesus is welcomed in our churches… crowds will follow.  Because where Jesus is… God is.  And were God is… the devil isn’t.

And Jesus draws crowds…  not gimmicks, contests, covered dinners, homecomings, band concerts, or free pizza.  It is JESUS that people want to see and it is JESUS that people need.

Only Jesus can change your situation.  Only Jesus can bring you into Victory Living.  Only Jesus can deliver you and make you free.  Only Jesus can satisfy the hunger in your heart.

Only Jesus can give you LIFE.  (John 10:10)

Word for Today:  March 19

satan is fighting.

But he is fighting the God in you.  So he is fighting a can’t-win battle.

he is defying the God Who lives in you.  This is the reason the devil hates you… you are where God is.  When he see you he sees God.  When he sees you coming he thinks God is coming.  He hates God and defies God and is terrified of God.

David realized this in his confrontation with Goliath.  He declared:  “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the Living God?”  He did not see a giant.  He saw an opportunity.  He did not say that Goliath was defying the armies of Saul or the armies of Israel… but instead, the armies of the LIVING GOD.

Now, Who is the Champion?  Who is the Stronger One?  Who is the Victorious One?   It is God Who lives in you.  If He wins, you win.  If He can’t lose, you can’t lose.  If He overcomes, you overcome.

If satan is defying the God in you he is also defying the Word of God in you.   The Word has always been the enemy of satan.  The Word busted him and kicked him out of heaven.   The Word “bruised” his head.  The Word keeps him at bay.  The Word continually destroys all his “works.”

Whatever the devil will ever do, can be undone by the Word of God.  Whatever is planned and programmed by the devil can be prevented by the Word of God.

It is the Word that defeats the devil.  satan cannot stand against the Word.  Jesus used the Word on the devil and the devil left Him.  “It is written…” is what Jesus declared to the devil on the mount of temptation.

And the devil gave up and left

Word for Today:  March 15

Be Thankful.

Be filled with Praise.  Because God has done, is doing and will continue to do Great Things.  He is worthy of our praise and He is worthy of our Worship.

The Word declares that we are to be Thankful unto Him and we are to Praise His Name.

• Praise will perfect our faith.
• Praise will under gird our faith.
• Praise will activate our Faith.
• Praise is a demonstration of our Faith.

When we Praise, we believe.  Praise rises out of believing with the heart and all that is within us.  Praise happens when we are confronted with the overwhelming greatness of God.

The rationale behind Praise comes from remembering.  Remembering God’s Intervention and Blessing in the Past….  from experiencing His constant and consistent Presence in the present and from believing and expecting His glorious Promises of things yet to come in the future.

Now, what are we to Praise God for?

Praise Him for what He has done for you….

• He has made you Righteous.
• You are continually being conformed to the Image of Jesus Christ.
• Sin has no control over you.
• The devil is defeated as far as you are concerned.
• You are blessed and prospering.
• Signs, wonders and miracles are for you and for today.
• You are healed, whole, well and not sick.
• The Best is yet to come…. His Glory is yet to be fully revealed in you.
• Heaven is real and Eternal Life is a fact.
• The Best yet to be.

Praise Him

Word for Today:  March 14

The world is in for a shaking.

It is in its infancy now and it will grow in intensity.  It will be good for those who know how to stand and it will be disastrous for those who are weak, uncommitted and carnal and cold.

It will help the church… the True Church.  It will reveal the shallowness and the superficiality of the religious bunch.  Hypocrisy, dishonesty, hidden sin and liars will be shamefully exposed.  Play-like church will not last and men-pleasing preaching will not cut the mustard.

History will be a great stage for the “standers” and the “doers” and the believers.  The staunch and the steady.  The true and the Real.   Change is coming.   Change is going to happen.  It will rise from a whisper to an earth shaking crescendo and Righteousness will Prevail.

History is convulsing.  Governments have failed.  Leaders have fallen.  Nations have collapsed.  Kings have been dethroned.  War threats and accusations are heard on every front.  But the Church is here and the Church has prevailed…  Just as Jesus said it would!  (Mat 16)

The devil is gearing up for a last-ditch effort to deceive the masses before the Grand and Glorious appearance of Jesus on earth!  But all his effort will be futile to those who are anchored in God.

Maranatha!

Word for Today:  March 13

Knowing is important.

Jesus wants you to know some things.  That is what Preachers and Churches are here for… to tell you things you need to know.  That is why God has given us His Word.

Many today feel that they know enough.  However, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.  No knowledge is a deadly thing.  I have heard it said that “what you don’t know won’t hurt you…”  That’s right, it won’t hurt you, it will KILL YOU.

My people are destroyed (perish) for lack of knowledge….  (Hosea 4:6)

Limited knowledge will keep you in trouble all the time.  Full knowledge (revelation that is received and acted on) will guide you into truth and keep you out of trouble.   Wisdom is Godly knowledge properly applied.

Jesus told us that we could know the truth and that the truth would make us free (John 8:32).  Do you want to be free?

“Free” is more than a political or human rights issue.   “Free” is more than a constitutional guarantee.  This is a free nation, but millions are still in great bondage. Multitudes are struggling with and being held captive by demonic forces.

“Free” is knowing the truth.

“Free” is acting on the Truth.

“Free” is receiving and living in what Truth promises and provides.

“Free” is doing the Word and living in Word Promises

Word for Today:  March 12

Jesus wants you blessed, free and prospering

He does not want you bound, enslaved, struggling or held captive.   Are you free?  Are you living in the blessings of God?  Are you prospering in everything you set your hand to do?  You may look free but not be free.  You may talk free but still be bound.  You may act free but still be held captive.  Decide to do something about it.

You are the only one (other than God) who really knows if you are free.  Your pastor does not know.  Your neighbors do not know.  Your relatives do not know.  But you know.

• Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?
• Are you tired of being weary and frustrated and defeated?
• Are you ready to be completely released from worry? From anxiety?  From fear?  From depression?
• Do you sincerely want to be delivered and set free from any and all addictions?
• Do you want a break-through? Do you want it today?  In your Finances?  In your Family? In your Job?  In your Marriage.  In your Business?

Do you believe you can trust Jesus to tell you the truth?

Will you trust the Word of God to speak Truth to your heart today?

Will you believe the Promises of God?

Will you believe them right now?

Will you act on them today?

Will you risk everything you have to gain everything you need now?

Will you?