dickbraswell

Word for Today:  June 7

God is not mad.

God is not ticked off with the world.  God is not threatening judgment that will punish and terrorize His people.  God is not withholding His mercy or His grace to those who are disobedient and wayward.  God is not about to release His wrath on you because you have sinned or done wrong.  God is not going to punish you because of the hardness of your heart.  God is not sending His judgment at a time it is unexpected to catch you in your sin.

God is Love.  Nothing will ever change that.  Nothing will ever alter that.  Nothing will ever cause Him to act in contradiction to that.  Nothing will ever make Him lose patience with you and withhold His kindness, His mercy or His grace.  God is Love.

Everything and all things that God does comes out of His Love.  He does not function in anger, wrath, retribution, or revenge.  He does not take pleasure in your pain even if your pain is the result of your sin.

God is grieved with every human hurt.  God is moved by every human discomfort.  God is not glad when you are reaping the results of your disobedience or sin.  God does not “teach us lessons” through suffering or distress.

God is Love.  He Hurts when you hurt.  He weeps when you weep.  He is in total empathy with you.  Not “sympathy” but empathy.  He understands.   He “feels” what you feel.  In spite of His exalted position and His enormous Responsibilities…

He cares for you.  He knows you intimately and extensively.  All about you.  Your pain.  Your sadness.  Your wounds.  Your disappointments.  Your rejection.  Your dreams.  Your desires.  Your aspirations.  Your innermost being…. The core of who you are.  Your heart.

God’s Love is proved by What and Who He has given.  The only way Love can be proved is by and through GIVING.  The God-kind of love has only one means of expression.   That expression is GIVING.

For God SO LOVED the WORLD that He GAVE….   John 3:16

His Provision for us through Christ is proof that He loves us.

He Loved, He Gave, He Provided

Word for today:  June 6

God’s Greatest Enemy is not the devil.

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

The devil is already whipped.  He is not God’s greatest enemy.  God’s greatest enemy is the carnal (unrenewed human mind).  Only here, (in your mind), is what God has done and can do for you limited or brought to pass… manifested.

When you think wrong you believe wrong.  Your “believing” will never exceed the bounds of your “thinking.”  In other words, if you can’t “think it” you can’t “believe it.”  And, when you can’t “believe it” you won’t have it.

When our minds are renewed with the Word we are “transformed” or “transfigured” from the worldly, natural manner of thinking to the spiritual, supernatural manner of thinking.

And as you “think” in your heart, you are.

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  Rom 8:7

The carnal mind is enmity against God…

It is God’s biggest enemy

Word for Today:  June 4

Has God ever lost a battle?

Has He ever had to take flight and run because the enemy was too big?  Has He ever conceded or fallen into confusion and despair?  Has He ever been afraid?

Remember Who He is and who you are.  You are wall-to-wall God.  “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”  Don’t be impatient.  You do not have to rush God.

It seems that the very nature of our present world is one of hurry.  Rush.  Speed.  And this contributes to our impatience… our unwillingness to wait.  God’s time and our time may not be the same.

The production time of the Word is programmed in and it is as dependable as God is dependable.  What is programmed will come to pass.  What He promises He will perform.  What He says He will do.  He will confirm His Word “In due season.”   Waiting will develop your patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:4

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do in our Faith Walk.  It is not hard to ask in prayer.  It is not too hard to believe….  But it is next to impossible to wait, with patience, until God confirms His Word and produces in us the “wanting nothing” condition.

God has said we will “reap in due season IF we faint not…”  Gal 6:9

Be patient

In the early years of my flying experiences, I purchased 1947 Stinson 108-3 “flying station wagon.”  It was seemingly in fair condition due to engine time and age, so this became the first four-place aircraft we owned.  It was located, unhangered, and tied down on the east side ramp, at the Mobile Regional Airport. 

Since we are in Hurricane Alley, one was headed our way surging north from the Gulf of Mexico.  Without the Stinson being safely hangered, it was in grave danger of being destroyed if left on the East Side Ramp at Mobile airport.  In order to safeguard it I ferried it to the Hattiesburg airport for safekeeping. 

When the storm passed, I picked up the Stinson from Hattiesburg and began a relatively short flight back to Mobile.  Since the weather was really great, I decided to fly directly south from Hattiesburg, intersect the Gulf Coast and then head east to Mobile.  The flight was wonderful… at 3000 feet and CAVU weather with bright sunshine. 

As I turned back east from Gulfport and flew NE to Mobile and was approximately 12-15 miles SE of the Mobile airport, there was an abrupt jolt as the 165 hp engine threw a rod and exploded out the side of the crankcase. Engine oil immediately spread over the windshield and the only good visibility was to look out the door window.  Total engine failure.  Now it was dead-stick flying and engine-out procedure to land and land very shortly.

Trying desperately to remember my emergency landing check list and procedure, my first priority, besides flying an engine-out airplane, was to locate an appropriate and safe landing location.  It just so happened I was about 3000 feet directly over a grass landing strip, often used for military training, at Saint Elmo, Alabama.  I had more than enough altitude to execute an approach and safe dead-stick landing.  When the old Stinson came to a stop, I opened the door, got out, laid down on my face and kissed the ground. A farmer nearby was plowing his field and witnessed the whole scenario.

Another mini-miracle

Word for Today:  June 3

“There is only one relationship that really matters, and that is your personal relationship to your personal Redeemer and Lord. If you maintain that at all costs, letting everything else go, God will fulfill His purpose through your life. One individual life may be of priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours may be that life.”  Oswald Chambers

What are those things that plague us?  What is it within the Human Experience that brings pain and grief?  What are the things that are burdens and problems to us?  It is precisely here (where we hurt) that God focuses His Grace.  His Provision.  His Relief.  We have seen just how these provisions are met in the Covenant He made with us and that is guaranteed by the Blood of Jesus Christ

What is hurting you?  Where are you broken and wounded and sad?  What has come into your life that produced fear and dread and pain?  What are those elements in the Human Experience that make your life miserable?  Do you understand that every misery and pain in life is caused by the devil?  By the powers of darkness?  By those spirits in high places that purpose to kill, steal and destroy?

If we can come to know God’s Purpose for us, we can better get our lives in agreement with it.  Once we come into a living agreement with the Purpose God has for us, we can experience the Abundant Life Jesus promises in John 10:10.

Everybody wants the abundant life, but they may not be in agreement with the Purpose God has for them.

And until this takes place, true fulfillment in life is impossible.

And real Peace evades us

Word for Today:  June 2

“I don’t know what to do!”

Have you ever been in a place where you honestly did not know what to do?

The first temptation is the temptation to try to fix it ourselves.  Plans.  Procedures.  Steps to take.  People to see.  We want to “fix things.”  We want to “fix” people.  Instead of throwing our cares and worries and tribulations on Jesus, we think we can fix it ourselves.  We try.  And it does not work.  We try something else, and it does not work either.  We reason.  We consider the problem.  We analyze it, examine it, look at it from every angle and try again.  Another failure.

Finally, we remember to pray.  And seek God.  And ask God.  And turn to God and confess that without His intervention, all our human and natural efforts will not produce any answers.

O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 2Chron 20: 12

The King’s army was outnumbered (2Chron 20). They were defenseless against such overwhelming odds.  They had no escape route…. Nowhere to run.  Nowhere to hide.  Nowhere to seek refuge.  They were in line for defeat.  Humiliation.  And death.  They had exhausted all their resources.  Nothing they had and nothing they could do would be able to deliver them from total disaster and defeat.  The king finally confessed: “I don’t know what to do.  But my eyes are on You, Lord….”

There are some attempts at victory that you need to “give up.”  Because they are your plans, your ideas, your efforts and they are done in your strength.  I remember praying one time:  “Lord, I don’t know what to do.  I’ve tried everything I know to try.  I don’t have any resources left.  I give up.”   In my fit of self-pity and false humility, God responded to my heart:  “Good!  Now that you are through, I can do something.”

Giving up on your efforts does not mean giving in to the devil.  It simply means changing your “trying” into “trusting” and then leaving it all to God.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  1Pe 5:7

Word for Today:  June 1

You were born with a purpose

You were born with a purpose and were brought into the Kingdom for a purpose.  You are alive today and are here for a purpose.  You are right where you are for a purpose.  You are where you are spiritually for a purpose.  You can know it and rejoice in it because it is good.  It is better than you can imagine.  And it is happening now.  When you discover God’s Purpose you can plan to accomplish it.  This places you in agreement with God.  When you are in agreement with God you are in disagreement with the devil.

When your purpose is the same as God’s purpose you have all the power of Heaven supporting you.  When your purpose is the same as God’s purpose, you are connected with heaven and plugged into Miracle Power.  You are, in effect, walking with God.  When you walk with God you are in agreement with Him and when you are in agreement with Him you can “ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you..”   This keeps you in the place of authority and power and control.  It gives you strength to do what needs to be done.

This is exactly what Paul meant when he said:  “now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.”  Eph 3:20

The “power that worketh in us” is the Power of Heaven that is released when we walk in agreement with the Eternal Purpose of God.  When you do this, you will Reign in Life.

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.  Rom 5:17

Word for Today:  May 31

What are those things that plague us?  What is it within the Human Experience that brings pain and grief?  What are the things that are burdens and problems to us?  It is precisely here (where we hurt) that God focuses His Grace.  His Provision.  His Relief.  We have seen just how these provisions are met in the Covenant He made with us and that is guaranteed by the Blood of Jesus Christ

What is hurting you?  Where are you broken and wounded and sad?  What has come into your life that produced fear and dread and pain?  What are those elements in the Human Experience that make your life miserable?  Do you understand that every misery and pain in life is caused by the devil?  By the powers of darkness?  By those spirits in high places that purpose to kill, steal and destroy?

If we can come to know God’s Purpose for us, we can get our lives in agreement with it.  Once we come into a living agreement with the Purpose God has for us, we can experience the Abundant Life Jesus promises in John 10:10.

Everybody wants the abundant life, but that will only happen when we are in agreement with the Purpose God.

And until this takes place, true fulfillment in life is impossible.

Word for Today:  May 30

The Church.

Jesus gave a powerful prophesy concerning the Church in Matthew chapter 16.  He said the Church would not be intimidated or overcome by the powers of hell.  He said He would build His Church and when He had it built, it would withstand and overcome all the powers of darkness.  He said His Church would be built on the revelation that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God… the Savior, the Messiah, the Promised One, the Redeemer and the Conqueror!  Notice four basic facts about this Church:

• Jesus will build it.
• It will be built on the Revelation that Jesus Christ is Messiah.
• It will have and exercise power over the kingdom of darkness, over hell, over demons and over the devil.
• It will have in its possession powerful Kingdom Keys that Believers can use to bind and loose.

When Jesus foretold the Birth of His Church, He said:

Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with Power from on High….  Luke 24:49

Therefore, one major characteristic of His Church is POWER from on HIGH.  That “power from on high” is still to be the means of changing the world.  “Not by (human) might or by (human) power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord…”

What the Church did then, is what the church is to do today.  How the church did it then is how the church is to do it today…

In and by the Power of the Holy Spirit

Word for Today:  May 29

You were born with a purpose

You were born with a purpose and were brought into the Kingdom for a purpose.  You are alive today and are here for a purpose.  You are right where you are for a purpose.  You are where you are spiritually for a purpose.  You can know it and rejoice in it because it is good.  It is better than you can imagine.  And it is happening now.  When you discover God’s Purpose you can plan to accomplish it.  This places you in agreement with God.  When you are in agreement with God you are in disagreement with the devil.

When your purpose is the same as God’s purpose you have all the power of Heaven supporting you.  When your purpose is the same as God’s purpose, you are connected with heaven and plugged into Miracle Power.  You are, in effect, walking with God.  When you walk with God you are in agreement with Him and when you are in agreement with Him you can “ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you..”   This keeps you in the place of authority and power and control.  It gives you strength to do what needs to be done.

This is exactly what Paul meant when he said:  “now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us.”  Eph 3:20

The “power that worketh in us” is the Power of Heaven that is released when we walk in agreement with the Eternal Purpose of God.  When you do this, you will Reign in Life.

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.  Rom 5:17