dickbraswell

Word for Today:  April 18

Dreamers of the day.

“Everyone dreams, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they may act out their dream with open eyes to make it happen.” (Anon)

Are you a “dreamer of the day”?  If you are you are dangerous to the powers of darkness…. especially when you dream of accomplishing great and impossible things for God.  The singular most profound thing is for us to REALLY BELIEVE that we can do all things through Christ.  When that one truth saturates our total being, we become Dreamers of the Day.  What you Dream you can become.  What you Dream can be moved into Reality.  Jesus has fixed it so that our “dreams can come true.”

God has built into every Believer the ability and possibility of Dreaming.  Dreaming Big Dreams.  The militant Body of Christ is a Body of Visionaries.  Chasing stars.  Reaching beyond their grasp.  Pushing the envelope.  Thinking outside the “box” and surging right off the page.

This is the season for your Dreams to manifest.  For your Visions to come to be realized.  For what you have been aiming at, believing for, expecting and anticipating to really happen.  Heaven is for dreamers.  Victory is for Visionaries.  Real life is experienced only by those who will never be satisfied with the normal.  The mediocre.  The natural.  What are you willing to “go for” today?  This week?  Right now?

What you can dream you can become. What you can envision, can happen.  This is the heritage every believer.  Reaching.  Stretching.  Expanding.  Growing.  Becoming.

Hitch your wagon to a star

What is about to happen?”

If the veil separating the physical and the spiritual could be lifted for a moment, what a sight we would behold!  Everywhere we looked, we would see preparations taking place.  God is busily PREPARING.  The ANGELS are busily PREPARING.  Hell is busy PREPARING.   During the six days of creation God PREPARED.  And now, at the CLOSE of this AGE, He is diligently preparing for the END.

What’s next?  The Bible is very plain about the events that will take place at the close of this age.  If we know the Word we will know what is going to happen.  If we know the Will of God we will know what to expect and when to expect it.  God never intended for His children to be ignorant of His End-Time plan.  God never intended for His children to be caught by surprise.  God wants you to know what is going to happen and approximately when it is going to happen.  Now, if you do not care, you will not know.  If you are lazy and carnally minded, you will not know.  If you are caught up in the world system, you will not know.  If you are bound up in religious bondage and dead doctrine, you will not know.  However, you can know and you will know if you open your heart to the Holy Spirit right now!!

First, we are living in the End-Time.  There is no doubt about this.  Look at what the Bible says concerning events that will be taking place at the time Jesus comes again.   From what I can determine from the Bible, there is not ONE PROPHECY left to be fulfilled before Jesus Comes Again.  His appearance is IMMINENT.  His Return is At Hand!!

The NEXT EVENT will be Jesus coming in the clouds to take His Church out of the earth. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (harpadzo) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:  and so shall we ever be with the Lord…”  1 Thes 4: 16-17.

“Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left.  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come…”  Mat 24:40-42

This is referred to as the Rapture of the Church.  It is a “catching away” or a “snatching away” of all true Believers from the earth at a time when it is least expected by the world.  It will be world-wide and it will be sudden.   It will be blessed for those are saved and it will be tragic for those who are lost.  According to the Bible, the Saved who have died and gone to be with Jesus will be reunited with their bodies and they shall “rise first” and then those of us who are alive and remain shall be taken up together with them in the air.

Suddenly, all the TRUE Christians will be gone from the earth.

Suddenly, all Christian influence will be removed from the earth.

Suddenly, all the church buildings and facilities of True Believers, will be vacant and empty.

Those who are Saved will ALL BE GONE.  Mothers will leave unbelieving children.  Daddies will leave unbelieving children.  Brothers will leave unbelieving brothers.  Sisters will leave unbelieving sisters.  Families will be divided.  Friends will be separated.  Only those who are READY will be taken.  Those who are living in disobedience, in rebellion, in open sin… those who are lukewarm and lazy will be left.  Those whose lamps are not trimmed and whose lights are not burning will be left.  The True Christians will all be gone.  No one left on earth but the lost, the backslidden, the unbelieving, the skeptic… “the lawless and disobedient, the ungodly, the sinner, the unholy, the profane, murderers, manslayers, whoremongers, those that defile themselves with mankind, kidnappers, liars and perjurers…” (1 Tim 1:9-10)

All goodness will be gone.  All love will be gone.  All kindness will be gone.  All compassion will be gone.  All mercy will be gone.  The TRUE CHURCH will be GONE and the world will be left to the powers of hell and destruction.  There will be no restraining force against evil and wickedness.  Antichrist will emerge and begin to rule and millions will be tortured, persecuted, abused, murdered.  There will be another holocaust… but this one will be world-wide and it will cause blood to run in every street in every city in every nation on the earth.  Demon forces will be loosed on earth and suffering will be supernatural.  These events are plainly detailed in the Book of Revelation, Chapters 6 through 18.

After the Rapture, there will be NO ESCAPE.

The suffering and torment that will be experienced by those who are left behind is indescribable.  Men will cry for the mountains to fall on them and for the earth to swallow them up… they will scream for death but death will not come.  “…and the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand?…”  Rev 6: 15-17.

This is called the Time of Tribulation.  And it will last for a period of 7 years.  The first 3 1/2 years will witness the rise of the antichrist.  The last 3 1/2 years will perfect his rule and reign.  The entire 7 years,  the antichrist will reign and the earth will be ruled by demon forces.  There will be a continual series of Judgments… 7 seal judgments, 7 vial judgments and 7 trumpet judgments…

Millions will die as this 7 year period of Tribulation ends with the Battle of all battles… the Battle of Armageddon.

“And another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.  And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”   (184 miles)  Rev 14:17-20.  See also Rev 19: 11-21.

While these events are taking place on earth during the 7 years of Tribulation, those of us who were Caught Up at the Rapture will be in heaven with Jesus.  We will be preparing for the Millennium.  We will be getting ready to return to earth with Jesus and to rule with Him for 1000 years.  There are two events that will take place in heaven while antichrist is ruling on earth.

First, we will go with Jesus to the Judgment Seat of Christ.  It is here that all Believers will be rewarded according to their faithfulness while they lived on earth.  We must each stand individually before Jesus and answer to Him in regards to our conduct on earth.  “For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels and then He shall reward every man according to his works…”  Mat 16:27  “…for we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God.  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God…”  Rom 14: 10-12  “For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad…”  2 Cor 4:10.  “And, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be…” Rev  22: 12.

It is here that we will be rewarded and receive our crowns which will be laid at Jesus’ feet.  It may be a time of great rejoicing and it could be a time of great regret.  We will be judged and rewarded according to our works.  We are not saved by our works, but we will be rewarded according to our works.  The rewards we receive and the crowns we are given will be cast at the feet of Jesus as we honor Him and worship Him.  It will be all that we have to GIVE to Him.

Next, we will accompany Jesus and all the Saints of all the ages to the Marriage Feast or Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.  And He saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.  And He saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God…”  Rev 19: 7-9.

Now, the choice is YOURS TODAY.  Which will it be, Tribulation or Triumph?  Suffering or the Marriage Supper?  If you could miss the wrath of God that will be poured out without mixture… surely you would.  If you could instead be guaranteed a place at the Marriage Supper, I know you would accept.  I am sent by God to make you an offer.  I am His messenger (angel) to give you that invitation.  What will it be?  What will you do?  God extends to you a request for your presence… will you accept?

YES_____             NO_______

Word for Today:  April 16

Life at its BEST.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 

“Life” in this verse is the word “Zoe,” a Greek term that describes a quality of life, not a quantity, but a quality of life.  It is the word that describes the very same kind of life that God has.  Jesus is saying here, “I have come that you might have life and that life will be the same kind of life that I have and the same kind of life that God has… ”

This is the Abundant Life that Jesus has given to you and to me.  It is not simply “living and breathing” or “natural, physical” life, but it is the same quality of life that God has.  The same type of Life God has.  It is the “God Kind” of life.

Can you imagine God being worried?  Can you imagine God being afraid?  Can you imagine God being sick?  Can you imagine God being in a bad mood?  Or having a “bad hair day?”  Can you imagine God being poor?   Can you see God being depressed or stressed?  Or sad, or melancholy or “blue?”

God is not saving up for a rainy day.  God is not getting ready to go to the hospital.  God is not tired out or “wore” out… God is not planning on anything bad happening to Him.  He never has and He never will.  God is just fine.

If God is OK then you are OK.

Regardless

Message delivered April 19, 2002 at LIFE CHURCH 

Hag. 2:9   The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Joel 3:16   The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: (undulate) but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Soon, the one most significant event since Creation will occur on this planet.  Every nation and people and tongue will experience the impact of this Spiritual Happening.  It will be the last and the greatest Move of God on the earth before the Return of Jesus.  This “thing”, I believe, is will take place in our lifetime and be the last and greatest sweep of the Holy Ghost before Jesus returns.   It will be a shaking.  A global shaking.  A shaking in the heavens and a shaking in the earth.  As this shaking occurs…

1. The attention of the whole world will be FOCUSED ON THE CHURCH.

Because the Church will finally and ultimately become what it was created to be.  No longer a wimpy, wrung-out, sissy, thumb-sucking baby… but an Army.  The Army of God.  The militant, turned-on, Holy Ghost-Filled, Sword wielding, Church of the Living God.  Not afraid.  Not ashamed.  Not timid.  Not weary and worn out.  Not broken down and bruised and bleeding.   Mighty.  Powerful.  Fearless.  Militant.  Courageous.

2. Powerful empires in the earth will be shaken by internal strife, scandal and division.

Our own government as well as some of the most powerful political figures in this nation will not escape this shaking.  It will not only be a shaking but it will be shocking.   Kingdoms thought to be unshakable will stagger and reel under the mighty Hand of God.

3. The powers of darkness will break forth in fresh waves of terror.

Great destruction and mass hysteria will come and many will be tempted to give up and fall away.  Nation will literally rise up against nation.  BUT… out of this conflict will come a great Spiritual Awakening that will surpass all Revivals in recorded history.   Sleeping Christians will be jolted awake.  LIFE will literally come forth out of death and influence every living creature on planet earth.

4. Millions of people will be saved even more who have backslidden will be reclaimed…

This awesome event will happen almost instantly.  Overnight.  Everywhere.  All over the earth.  Downtown street curbs will become holy altars upon which sinners will kneel and pray and seek the Face of Almighty God.

5. Great Wealth and Riches will be brought into the Re-Born Church

(The true Body of Christ will be walking in obedience) and it will become the richest and most powerful Institution on earth.  Ably equipped to saturate the earth with the Gospel of the Kingdom.

6. Every False Prophet and every false doctrine will be openly exposed to the world.

Every spirit of deception will be identified and revealed.   There will be no place for the false and counterfeit to hide.  Every secret thing shall be uncovered.  Hearts will be uncovered.  Motives will be revealed.  The truth about them will be known and announced.

7. Great Supernatural manifestations of God will occur.

Signs,   wonders and miracles will take place not only in the Church, but on the streets and in the shopping malls and in the workplace.  Healings, and deliverances.  As well as signs in the heavens and in the earth.

8. Millions of new converts and reclaimed backsliders will fill Churches. Churches that are full of the Glory of God and this will cause overnight growth explosions… There will be great open-air meetings to minister to the throngs because no church will be large enough to take care of the crowds.
9. Men and women, Young People and even little children will Minister in the Power of God.

Those who have been rejected by organized religion will be exalted by the Spirit of God and used to communicate the Gospel of Jesus in Great Power and Anointing.

10. Business leaders and businesses and private enterprises which support the Re-Born Church will become the economic giants of the day.

Wall Street will be shocked.   The economists of the world will be dumbfounded.  The wealth of the earth will be redistributed… and shall literally be laid up for the Righteous.  The silver and the gold belong to God.

11. All modern technology will be used to preach the Word to all the world…

All the creative genius being released into humanity will be focused on the Spiritual instead of the natural.  The exponential explosion of technical discovery and wisdom… all this for the Kingdom of God.  Satellite communications… radio…television… computers… the internet… and even newer and more exotic technology that is yet to be developed will revolutionize the preaching and spreading of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

 12.  The whole world will hear and know about Jesus.

Nations and kingdoms will be born into the Kingdom “in a day” just like the Bible says.   The Name of Jesus will be spoken on the lips of all mankind.  What a Day!  What an hour!  What a demonstration of the Glory of God!

This is the approaching Shaking.   This is the prelude to the Revival of the last days.  This is That was spoken by the Prophet Joel.  All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.  This is the END TIME REVIVAL.

Word for Today:  April 16

Wilderness experiences.

The nature of the believer is to resist the Wilderness.  Wilderness experiences are not pleasant.  We like comfort and convenience.  We like the tranquility of affluence and the relief from hardship.  In the wilderness there is hardship and uncertainty and loneliness.  There are tempting opportunities to doubt and wonder and waver in faith.  In the wilderness.  No assurance.  No guarantees.  No comfort.  No security.

We would all call every wilderness a “bad experience” and one that we would like to avoid.  We like normality.  We like stability.  We do not like uncertainties.  We are geared to want to know what to expect.  We resist anything that jars us out of our comfort and routine.

Most people I know either are in, just out of, or going into a Wilderness Experience.  What do we do when we are in the desert?  How can we profit from the unpleasant?  When will we get out?  Why are we there anyway?  What is God doing to us?

Moses was supernaturally selected by God for a special purpose.  He was redeemed from certain death and found as a baby by Pharaoh’s daughter.  He was raised in the king’s court and was being groomed for political leadership and power.  He was headed for great success.  Then he killed an Egyptian who was beating one of his Hebrew brethren.  He fled into the Wilderness to escape the wrath of the king.  He left the promises of Egypt and the prospects of Political power and wealth to become a sheep herder for his Father-in-law.

On the “backside of the desert” (That’s Wilderness) while he was keeping sheep, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in the flame of a burning bush.  God began to talk to him and it was at this very place, that he was called and commissioned to lead Israel out of Egypt.

It looked like Moses’ life was over.  It appeared that his future was bleak and all was lost.  In the Wilderness, Moses met the “I AM.”

His Wilderness became the turning point in his life.

Your drought may be the beginning of a great refreshing

Word for Today:  April 15

Do Something

• Are you going to stay in the boat and sink in your storm?
• Are you going to sit where you are until you die?
• Are you going to withdraw from the challenge, give in to reason and unbelief and self-destruct?

Decide to do something!

Take the initiative.  Move off dead center.  Get up and go on.

There was a “great famine” in Samaria.  The enemy has surrounded the city and the inhabitants were starving.  Women were killing and cooking and eating their children.  They were slaying their beasts of burden and eating them.  The dung of birds and animals was collected for food.  The situation was desperate.  Horrific.

Four lepers were sitting at the gate to the city of Samaria.  They could not go in.  They could not stay there.  They had one option.  Go into the camp of the enemy and plead for mercy.  They asked:  “Why sit we here until we die…”

And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?  2 Kings 7:3 

Do you intend for “things” to always be as they are?  Are you convinced you are going to “die” if you remain like you are and where you are?  Are you ready for a Change for the Better?  When do you want this Change to happen?  Why not NOW?

God is looking for movers and shakers…. those who will determine to be doers of the Word and not hearers only.  God expects you to do something about the stuff that is happening to you.  He expects you to do something about what’s happening in the world.

He has given you the Power and the Authority to make things change.

Just Do It

Word for Today:  April 16

God says you can  

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  Phil 4:13

Does this do away with all the “I can’t” situations?  Does this negate all “impossibilities” in your life?  Does this erase all excuses for self-pity?  Does this do away with all defeat?  Would God have said this if He did not mean it?

Does this apply to you as well as to others?  Certainly He said it and He certainly meant it.  Then all our problems have no “reason” for remaining in our life.

How much longer do you intend on putting up with all that junk the devil has piled on you and your family?  Is there any reason for not doing that “impossible” thing now?

If we know to “do good” and “doeth it not” the Word says it is sin (James 4:17).  Any Believer who has the Truth and is willing to cast off everything that is contradicting it, can step right out of the impossible and into the possible.  But it requires ACTION.  It requires DOING.  It requires RISKING.  But it will WORK if the Believer will really believe.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.   Mr 9:23 

IF we have knowledge of the Truth and apply that knowledge to our circumstances through the God Kind of faith then Victory will be insured.  Every time.  All the time.  Anytime.

No matter what

Word for Today:  April 14

The Resurrection of Jesus means:

A New Species of Men… and New Race of Men… a New Breed of Men… a New Creation of Men… has been brought forth to walk in great Power and Authority on the earth.

If any man be in Christ he is a New Creation.  2Cor 5:17

The Resurrection gave birth to a Race of Supermen.  Men and Women and Young People with God inside of them.  People who are literally infused with resurrection power and resurrection life.   Zoe life.  A Race who has power over devils and demons!!  A Race who lives in a different realm of life.  A Race filled with the Holy Ghost and Power.

The devil and all demon powers are 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 his power and his authority.

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

Word for Today:  April 13

Life at its BEST.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 

“Life” in this verse is the word “Zoe,” a Greek term that describes a quality of life, not a quantity, but a quality of life.  It is the word that describes the very same kind of life that God has.  Jesus is saying here, “I have come that you might have life and that life will be the same kind of life that I have and the same kind of life that God has… ”

This is the Abundant Life that Jesus has given to you and to me.  It is not simply “living and breathing” or “natural, physical” life, but it is the same quality of life that God has.  The same type of Life God has.  It is the “God Kind” of life.

Can you imagine God being worried?  Can you imagine God being afraid?  Can you imagine God being sick?  Can you imagine God being in a bad mood?  Or having a “bad hair day?”  Can you imagine God being poor?   Can you see God being depressed or stressed?  Or sad, or melancholy or “blue?”

God is not saving up for a rainy day.  God is not getting ready to go to the hospital.  God is not tired out or “wore” out… God is not planning on anything bad happening to Him.  He never has and He never will.  God is just fine.

If God is OK then you are OK.

Regardless