dickbraswell

Word for Today:  January 7

Many in the body of Christ have never made it into the realm of winning and overcoming.

Some are still living in defeat, sickness, poverty and death.  Some are frustrated and sad and overwhelmed by problems and obstacles and circumstances.  More are just plain weary, tired, worn out and wounded… they are on the verge of quitting or simply copping out.

However, you are destined to win.

It doesn’t matter how bleak or hopeless or helpless your situation may be, if you are BORN AGAIN YOU ARE DESTINED TO WIN!   This is GOOD NEWS.   And that is precisely what the Gospel is:  GOOD NEWS.

Jesus commanded us to preach the GOSPEL to the POOR.  When the Gospel that is preached is received and acted on, the POOR will not stay POOR, the SICK will not stay SICK, the WEAK will not stay WEAK and the LOST will not stay LOST.

Every Believer has a destiny to succeed.  God has planned winning for you and provided the means for you to accomplish victory.  In every situation.  Anytime.  Every time.  And all the time.

…and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  1Jo 5:4

Word for Today:  January 6

Once upon a time.

Once upon a time there was a mountainside, where an eagle’s nest rested. The eagle’s nest contained four large eagle eggs. One day an earthquake rocked the mountain causing one of the eggs to roll down the mountain, right into a chicken farm, which was located in the valley below. The chickens knew that they must protect and care for the eagle’s egg, so an old hen volunteered to nurture the large egg until it hatched.

When the egg hatched a beautiful eagle was born. Sadly, however, the eagle was raised to be a chicken. Soon, the eagle believed he was nothing more than a chicken. The eagle loved his home and family, but his spirit cried out for more.

While playing a game on the farm one day, the eagle looked above and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring in the skies. “Oh,” the eagle cried, “I wish I could soar like those birds.” The chickens roared with laughter, “You can’t soar with those birds. You are a chicken and chickens don’t soar.”

The eagle continued staring at his real family up above dreaming that he could be with them. Each time the eagle would let his dreams be known, he was told it couldn’t be done. And so, that is what the eagle learned to believe. The eagle, after time, stopped dreaming and continued to live his life as a chicken.

Finally, after his long life as a chicken, the eagle died.  He never spread his wings, gathered the strength of the wind and soared in the heights he was created to master.

The chickens convinced the eagle that he would never fly.   He stayed in the chicken pen until he died.

If you don’t have a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true? — Oscar Hammerstein

Word for Today:  January 5

Believers are called to demonstrate satan’s defeat.

And having spoiled principalities and powers, He (Jesus) made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it… Col. 2:15

God is a God of DEMONSTRATION.  He is a GOD of POWER and MIGHT.  He operates in great success and energy.  And He lives inside every Believer.

Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world… 1Jn 4:4

satan is the illegitimate ruler of this world.  he is a defeated and humiliated enemy.  he is a liar and a cheat.  he is an accuser and an intimidator.  he barks but can’t bite because Jesus pulled his teeth.

We have been given Power over the devil and his demons (Mark 16:17).  satan gets his destructive  power from ignorant, naïve Believers.  The devil cannot do what we will not allow him do.

You and I (the Church) have been called into the kingdom to DEMONSTRATE satan’s DEFEAT.  You have been saved to make an OPEN SHOW of satan’s LIMITATIONS and to parade him before the world in an open display of his powerlessness.

Let the parade begin today

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

The very essence of increasing knowledge is research.

There is a constant digging, probing, searching, excavating, inquiring, researching, studying, exploring, that pushes us to the limits of our knowledge regarding the things that are natural.

From this “unrest” comes new understanding.  New discoveries.  Increased knowledge.  This is science and this is progress.  Millions of dollars and tens of millions of man-hours are invested in this.  They are exploring the seas, excavating ancient habitats, probing outer space, pushing into the fringes of science… working and researching the beginnings, genetics, the chemistry of human life… all because we need to KNOW.

The more we KNOW the more we can LIVE.  The more we KNOW the greater the quality of life.  The more we KNOW the more we can accomplish.  This is how it is in the natural system of the world.

The same is necessary in the world of the Spirit. We must KNOW all that we can KNOW about GOD, about JESUS, about the HOLY GHOST, about the WORD, about SALVATION.  Research is necessary.  Study is a must.  Understanding is tough to come by.  But it is essential to Spiritual Maturity.  This is the reason for intensive study.   This quest for Spiritual Knowledge and Bible Understanding will enable us to fulfill our very PURPOSE for being.   God has Plans, Grand Plans, for you and me.  God has Adequate and Sufficient Provisions for you and me.  God has a Purpose and an Eternal Blue Print for you and me.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jer. 29:11

Dig in.  Dig deep.

Word for Today:  January 1

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 on course

Word for Today:  December 31

God has restored to the believer that which Adam lost

Notice:

• Righteousness: right standing with God
• The Image of God in complete perfection
• Authority and dominion over the earth and all life forms on earth
• Communion and Fellowship with the Father
• Perfect and perpetual health
• Prosperity: Adam had no needs that were not met
• Protection: Adam never had an accident or suffered a loss

The believer has the same privileges and rights that Adam had and enjoyed before he sinned!  After Jesus conquered death, satan’s legal right to rule over the believer was destroyed.  satan now has no legal right to touch any believer.    Whatever satan succeeds in doing to the believer he does through deception and lies.  If you know your legal rights and privileges, you can always conquer satan.

If you are born again take a look at what is in you:

• The Life of God: Zoe
• The Love of God: Agape
• The Faith of God
• The Holiness of God
• The Creative Power of God
• The Goodness of God
• The Mercy of God
• The Forgiveness of God
• The Generosity of God
• The Patience of God
• The Power – Ability – Authority – Right of God
• The Optimism of God
• The Truth of God
• The Justice of God
• The Honesty and Integrity of God
• The Compassion of God
• The Strength of God
• The Joy and Gladness of God

If you are Saved, you are a New Creation, If you are a New Creation you have all New Creation Privileges… and you have them right now.

They are yours.

And they are yours forever

Word for Today:  December 30

Peter’s Personal Pentecost.

Peter experienced a Personal Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2 and preached the most powerful sermon recorded in the Bible.

• Here is the man who was ashamed of Jesus before his Personal Pentecost.
• Here is the man who constantly gave in to discouragement and defeat before his Personal Pentecost.
• Here is the man who was impetuous, always losing his temper, cursing and ready to fight. Here is the man who at one time even denied he knew Jesus.
• Here is the man who was content to go back to mending nets, fishing and paddling boats.

Peter, the fisherman, became Peter the Superman.  It was his Pentecost Experience that made the difference.  And, my friend, it is exactly that that will make a difference in you.  In your home.  In your marriage.  In your job.  In your weakness.   In your life.   Notice what Peter preached:

• He preached about the Last Days.
• He preached about the Outpouring of the Holy Ghost.
• He preached about the Great and Notable Day of the Lord.
• He preached about Incarnation, Birth and Ministry of Jesus.
• He preached about the Crucifixion.
• He preached about Jesus descending into hell.
• He preached about the Resurrection.
• He preached about the Exaltation of Jesus.
• He preached that Jesus is LORD and MESSIAH.

This kind of preaching does things.  It produces results.  It shakes the unshakable and moves the unmovable.  It pierces the darkness and blinds the devil.  It cannot be ignored.  It cannot be resisted.  It is born of the Holy Ghost and sent forth by the Holy Ghost and anointed with the Holy Ghost.  Human hearts melt in the presence of such preaching.  Pride goes.  Ego goes.  Sin goes.  Timidity goes.  Shyness goes.  Embarrassment goes.   Holy Ghost preaching makes things happen.

Impossible things.

Hopeless things.

Incurable things.

Word for Today:  December 29

God has given us weapons.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…    2Cor 10:4-6

They are mighty weapons armed with the Power of God and are able to pull down demonic strongholds  … they are not carnal and they are not natural … they are Supernatural and they are efficient, effective and they work.

They are given to every believer so that every believer might overcome the attacks of the enemy. These weapons are for warfare. They are not for vacation. They are for pulling down and destroying and they are to be used.

The reason we have these weapons is that we might overcome the powers of darkness…. that we might stop the devil. If we do not use them, they will not work, and we will not stop him.  If we do not exercise them, we will not break through nor overcome his attacks.

God gave them. God gave them to Believers. God gave them to Believers in order that Believers might confirm what Jesus did to satan.

Jesus destroyed the works of the devil. Those works are still destroyed. The Bible says that

…to as many as received Him to them gave He power to become…  John 1:12.

You have the power and authority to become whatever God has purposed for you to become.

This is why Paul says… “I can do all things though Christ…”

So can you