dickbraswell

Word for Today:  January 4

The dynamics of our contemporary mode of living tend to keep us ignorant of the Move of God.

Most are looking everywhere and seeing everything but God and what He is doing.  If we talk about the New Thing, the Move of God and the coming End Time Harvest most will think we are in too deep.  Too far.  Too much.  Too radical.  Too spiritual.  Too serious.  Too wild.

But don’t be surprised… they were acting the same way in Noah’s Day.  And Jesus said:

But as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man…  Luke 17:26

For 120 years they rejected Noah’s radical preaching.  They laughed at his “foolish” construction project. They ignored his warnings.  They refused to listen and heed.  They waited and debated.  They considered but refused to consent.

Then IT happened.  And when it did it was too late for them.  They got left out. They got shut out.  They got locked out of safety, security and life.  They were lost.  Forever.  Eternally.

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.   Mt 24:44

Word for Today:  January 3

Truth in the head is not enough.

Truth in the Church is not enough.  Truth in the world is not enough.

Truth must be in the heart and our entire being is to be motivated, instructed, guided and led by it.

We can stuff our heads with instruction.  We can train our brains with right things to do.  We can believe sincerely with our heart.  The need is for God’s power to flow through us.

• We can be clean on the outside and be dead.
• We can be correct and be dead.
• We can be religious and be dead.
• We can be sincere and be dead.
• We can be right and be dead.
• We can even have faith and be dead.
• We can be in the right place at the right time in the right manner and be dead.
• You can make all the right confessions and be dead.

And you know whether you are dead or alive!

The Scribes and Pharisees were right, religious, dedicated, obedient, faithful, consistent, committed, and unashamed.   Jesus said our “righteousness” would have to exceed theirs or we would not make it to heaven. They needed a Heart Experience instead of a head experience.

They were shallow, external, legalistic, arrogant, and self-centered.  They were “clean” on the outside but Jesus said they were full of dead men’s bones.  They looked good, but Jesus said they were dead and filled with corruption.

If they were around today, they would be sitting on the front row (or the platform) of the church.  They would be the loudest prayers, and the biggest givers.  They would be seen and heard and admired and recognized.  They would have a “form of godliness” but they would be dead inside.

For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1Sa 16:7

Word for Today:  January 2

Stay on course

As we enter this New Year, STAY on COURSE.

We cannot afford to deviate.  Even a little bit off course at the beginning will calculate to a huge error at the destination.  It will make us miss our Mark.   There must be constant corrections and adjustments along the way.  The course must be updated and upgraded constantly.

The limits are set.  The boundaries are there.  The way is plain.  It is the Narrow and it is the Straight.  As we stay tuned to the Word and as we remain in the presence of God, we will stay on course.  When we listen to men and go by our opinions and lean on our feelings, we will get off course.  When we get lazy and lukewarm… when we become entangled with the World, we get off course.  When we take our Eyes off the Prize we lose ground and veer off course.  When we take on added and unnecessary baggage, and fool around with flesh we are hindered and held back in our pursuit of the Prize.

Here’s what will keep you On Course:

• Stay in the Word and live by the Word
• Function daily in an aggressive faith position
• Let Agape be your motivation for everything you do
• Live to give and not to get
• Hunker down in the Secret Place and stay under the Shadow of the Almighty
• “Attempt great things for God and Expect great things from God” (William Carey)

Stay the course