dickbraswell

Word for Today:  February 25

Here is my bold confession for today:

• “I am a member of the body of Christ
• The decision has been made.
• The die has been cast.
• I have stepped over the line.
• I have made my decision.
• I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ.
• I won’t let up, ease up, back up or give up.
• I will not slow down, back down, be complacent or stuck.
• My past is redeemed and my future is secure.
• I am done with low living, sight walking, small planning, unbent knees, wimpy dreams, weak visions, mundane talking,  greedy penny-pinching giving and dwarfed goals.
• I no longer have to have my way, be first, number one, recognized, regarded or rewarded.
• I will live by faith and work with God by the Power of the Holy Ghost
• My pace is set, may step is fast, my goal is pleasing God, my road is narrow, my way may be rough, my companions may be few, but my Guide is reliable and my mission is clear.
• I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted or delayed.
• I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the place of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
• I won’t give up, let up, back up, or shut up. I will stay preached up, prayed up, paid up, and stored up, for the cause of Jesus Christ
• I am a committed disciple of Jesus Christ.
• I will go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all hear and remain faithful until He comes.  And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.
• My identity is clear and my flag is flying.
• I am not ashamed.
• I will never be ashamed.
• I will speak up.
• This is the time I boldly, fearlessly and courageously Stand for God… no matter when.  No matter what. No matter where.

The only Thing that matters to me is Jesus Christ.”

I am His

Word for Today:  February 24

Seems that everyone is interested in the harvest.

The masses are ready for the crops to come in.  They are hungry and weary.  The time for the increase is anxiously waited for.  Believers want the blessings of harvest.  They want crops.  They want fruit.  They want increase.  Unfortunately few are interested in Seed Time.

There will be no harvest if there has been no planting.  What we do with the seed determines what kind of harvest we will reap.  The seed amount determines the harvest amount.  The more seed the more harvest.  The less seed the smaller the harvest.  The seed we plant determines the harvest we reap.

There is a Bible Principle that is very important when we consider the harvest we want.  Since most are interested in reaping an abundant harvest, it is important to understand that the harvest we reap will be according to the seed we plant.

Like begets like.  This is a principle that is built in and basic in all of Creation.  Like begets like.  Cows have cows.  Pigs have pigs.  Horses have horses.  Corn begets corn.  Peas beget peas.  Beans beget beans.  Like begets (produces) like.  Birds have birds.  Fish have fish.  Every kind of life begets the same kind of life.  The kind of seed you plant determines the kind of harvest you get.  When a farmer wants cotton, he plants cotton seed.  When a farmer wants beans he plants beans.  When a farmer wants potatoes, he plants potatoes.

Like begets like.

What crop do you want?

Then, what are you planting?

Word for Today:  February 23

What will it take?

What will it take to bring Real Revival to the Church?

Do we have to bottom out before we look up?

• We have built nice buildings, but this didn’t work.
• We have up-graded our facilities and padded our pews.
• We have paved our parking lots and landscaped our buildings.
• We have established great programs, but this didn’t work.
• We have brought in outstanding “world-class” preachers and evangelists and teachers, but this didn’t work.
• We have hired staff members and started Sunday Schools.
• We have promoted, organized, educated and funded but this didn’t work.
• We have established educational programs and Bible Institutes and recreational projects and we have preached on TV and Radio, we have published books and pamphlets, but none of these have really produced New Testament Results.

What will it take?

• It is going to take hungering.
• It is going to take thirsting.
• It is going to take longing.
• It is going to take seeking.
• It is going to take searching.
• It is going to take rearranging priorities.
• It is going to take repentance.
• It is going to take humility.
• It is going to take praying.
• It is going to take surrendering.
• It is going to take forgiving.
• It is going to take loving.
• It is going to take a divine visitation.
• It is going to take a Holy Ghost inundation.
• It is going to take a Pentecostal renewal.

Only God can do what must be done to activate the Body of Christ.  And when we make our Move, God will make His Move.

Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord…  Zech 4:6

It’s our move

Word for Today:  February 22

New Ground.

My farmer grandfather always saved his New Ground for his watermelon crop.  He said if you want the biggest, the best and the sweetest watermelons, plant the watermelon seed in New Ground.

New Ground is the Best Place to plant the Word Seed.  We have been cleansed by the Blood.  We have had all the stumps removed and the rocks hauled away.  We have been leveled and cleaned and nurtured by the work of the Holy Ghost.  Our hearts are ready for the seed (Word) to be planted and for life to come forth.  Sometimes we produce a crop or two.  But, then, something happens.

• Neglect moves in.
• We become weary or tired or discouraged.
• Somebody hurt my feelings.
• No one spoke to me. The music is too loud.
• The preaching is too long.
• The worship is too radical.
• Nobody notices me.
• I don’t have a place.
• My gift is being ignored.
• I am being overlooked.
• God does not answer my prayers.
• This faith stuff is not for me.
• I tried but things got worse.

Are you in here somewhere?  Have you been thinking these things?

Unless we are constantly producing regular crops, our hearts be­come fallow ground.  Hard.  Crusty.  Dry.  Dead.  Lifeless.  In need of breaking up.  Until it is broken, the heart will remain cold, lifeless, dead and unfruitful.

… break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12

Word for Today:  February 21

The Glory of God.

When God created Adam his outstanding characteristic was the Glory of God.

Man was made in the Image (likeness, shadow) of God.  Man shared the Glory of God.  He became like God.  He received the Character and Nature of God.  He received the Mind of God.  He received the Power of God.

He literally took God’s Place on the earth as the One in Control.  He had the Glory.  He lived in the Glory.  He walked in the Glory.  He manifested the Glory of God.  All creation Knew.  Saw.  Witnessed.  Beheld.  Everything living and everything inanimate recognized the Glory of God in Adam.

The real problem began when man lost the Glory.  Adam sinned and when he did he lost the Glory.  The Glory departed.  And death entered.  Where Glory was now death is.   “Death entered…”  And death will stay until the Glory is restored.

When a person gets saved, he comes into the Glory of God.  He is crowned with the Glory that Adam lost.  Adam had the Glory and he lost it.

We are born without the Glory and at Salvation we get it.  When we get the Glory of God we get Life.

He that hath the Son hath life. 1 John 5:12

I am come that ye might have life…  John 10:10

Glory and Life are synonymous; Death and no Glory are synonymous.

The full manifestation of the Glory of God will be the last thing that takes place before Jesus comes back.  The Church, this age and this hour are destinations for the Glory of God.  We are purposed, created and brought into this narrow band of time in order that we might come into the full manifestation of the Glory of God.

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.   Isa 60:1

This is our time

Word for Today:  February 20

Sow the seed that meets the need

Every need has a matching seed.  Find the seed that matches the need and sow it.  One unfailing principle of God’s Word is the principle of Sowing and Reaping.  You will never have a need if you practice sowing according to God’s Word.  You do not have a “need” problem… you have a sowing problem.  Seed does no good as long as you hold it.  It must be sown… put in circulation.

If you need joy… sow joy.  If you need healing… go pray for someone who is sick.  If you need encouragement, go to some discouraged individual and speak encouragement to them.  If you need finances… give into the Kingdom.  And be sure that the soil you choose to sow in is good ground.

Finally, prepare for the increase.  Plan Big.  Think Big.  Talk Big.  Expect Big.  Believe Big.  You are the key.  God allows you to set your own limits and fix your own boundaries.  You initiate and heaven shouts Amen!  You begin and Heaven confirms.  You loose on earth and God looses in Heaven.  You bind on earth and God binds in heaven.

You begin and God finishes

Word for Today:  February 19

Doing the Word.

We are not to be “hearers only” but doers of the Word.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  Jas 1:22

Acting on what you know in faith releases the power of God.

• When you do the Word, you make the Word become flesh.
• When you do the Word you literally bring God and all of His Power to the scene of your need.
• When you do the Word, you demonstrate the devil’s defeat.
• When you do the Word, you please God because without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb 11:6)

So… Burn your bridges; leave yourself no “way of escape.”  Forget about “what if” or “just in case” or “plan B.” Get past the “point of no return.”  Get radical… be radical… stay radical.  Break out of your box, push the envelope and go for the Gold!

Reckless, bold and daring FAITH pleases God. Without faith you cannot please Him.   If it is not of faith (this kind of faith) it is sin. (Rom 14:23)

Stand on the Word.  Grab hold of God and refuse to turn loose.  Believe the Word. Act on the Word.

Just do it

Word for Today:  February 18

God is Bigger

God is bigger, greater, more awesome and more powerful than we can even think or imagine.

What He can do far exceeds our ability to understand and comprehend.  He is greater than the greatest, stronger than the strongest and more powerful than anything or anybody.

Do you have a need?  Any need.  Big need.  Small need.  Few needs.  Great needs.  Many needs.  If your answer is “yes” then name your need.  Give it a name.   What is it?  Call it out.  Tell yourself what it is.  Tell the devil what it is.  Tell God what it is (even though He already knows.)  Is it a health need?  Is it a financial need?  Is it a marriage or family need?  Is it a spiritual need?  Is it an emotional need?  If you have a need, then God has the supply… and God is Able to get His supply to your need.  Phil 4:19

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, (Jesus) and given him a name which is above every name:  Phil 2:9  

Therefore, the Name of Jesus is above the name of your need.  And it is subject to that Name.  It must obey any command given to it.

That at the name of Jesus every knee (thing) should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  Phil 2:10

Place your need under the authority of your command

Word for Today:  February 17

We are all faced with “Lazarus” attacks” (John 11).

What we do, how we act in the midst of such death situations will demonstrate just how deep we are in God.

• We can say what others are saying.
• We can assume the worst.
• We can agree with what the facts are.
• We can accept the “inevitable”

Or we can Prophesy Life to the situation.   Like Jesus did.

God has called you into His Kingdom and given you the power to create with your mouth the things that are in the will of God.  Boldly prophesy the Word!

Our fiery trial… our grave-yard tribulation… our Red Sea and our Furnace heated 7 times its capacity… our den of Lions and our Goliath…  all these are opportunities for God to get Glory and for us to experience a miracle.

Jesus knew that impossibilities are opportunities… opportunities for God to Show Himself Strong in behalf of those who would DARE to BELIEVE.

Only Believe

Word for Today:  February 16

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?  Mark 4:40

Are you afraid?

What is it that you have to fear?  If God be for us who can be against us?  Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.

• We have the Word.
• We have the Holy Ghost.
• We have the Unfailing Promises of our Great God.
• We have the constant and continual Presence of the Living Christ.

Why do we fret?  Why do we worry?  Why do we fear?

God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of love and power and a sound mind.  2Tim 1:7

Jesus will always remind us to “Fear Not.”  He knows that fear will cancel our faith.  Where there is no faith, the attacks of the enemy are successful.  The only place the devil can work is the very place where fear is present.

Fear is to the devil what Faith is to God.  The gentle rebuke of Jesus came as a result of the disciples’ fear.  Fear always negates faith.

You will never be successful in your Faith Walk if fear is present.

Where fear is, faith isn’t