dickbraswell

Word for Today:  March 16

People want to see Jesus.

The world is tired of seeing Church and Performance and Form and Custom.  They want to see Jesus.  I want to see Jesus.  Jesus has been buried under Religion and the traditions of men and doctrines that have sanitized God and ripped the miraculous out of the Bible.

People are tired of Professional Preachers and Social clubs called churches.     We have kept Jesus covered and hidden by our veneer of hypocrisy.  What we do speaks louder than what we say.  Who we really are is often not what people see.

It is not great preaching that is needed or great preachers…not bigger churches or better facilities…. People need to see Jesus.  People want to see Jesus.  People must see Jesus.  When Jesus is welcomed in our churches… crowds will follow.  Because where Jesus is… God is.  And were God is… the devil isn’t.

And Jesus draws crowds…  not gimmicks, contests, covered dinners, homecomings, band concerts, or free pizza.  It is JESUS that people want to see and it is JESUS that people need.

Only Jesus can change your situation.  Only Jesus can bring you into Victory Living.  Only Jesus can deliver you and make you free.  Only Jesus can satisfy the hunger in your heart.

Only Jesus can give you LIFE.  (John 10:10)

Word for Today:  March 15

satan is fighting.

But he is fighting the God in you.  So he is fighting a can’t-win battle.

he is defying the God Who lives in you.  This is the reason the devil hates you… you are where God is.  When he sees you he sees God.  When he sees you coming he thinks God is coming.  He hates God and defies God and is terrified of God.

David realized this in his confrontation with Goliath.  He declared:  “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the Living God?”  He did not see a giant.  He saw an opportunity.  He did not say that Goliath was defying the armies of Saul or the armies of Israel… but instead, the armies of the LIVING GOD.

Now, Who is the Champion?  Who is the Stronger One?  Who is the Victorious One?   It is God Who lives in you.  If He wins, you win.  If He can’t lose, you can’t lose.  If He overcomes, you overcome.

If satan is defying the God in you he is also defying the Word of God in you.   The Word has always been the enemy of satan.  The Word busted him and kicked him out of heaven.   The Word “bruised” his head.  The Word keeps him at bay.  The Word continually destroys all his “works.”

Whatever the devil will ever do, can be undone by the Word of God.  Whatever is planned and programmed by the devil can be prevented by the Word of God.

It is the Word that defeats the devil.  satan cannot stand against the Word.  Jesus used the Word on the devil and the devil left Him.  “It is written…” is what Jesus declared to the devil on the mount of temptation.

And the devil gave up and left

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  

            There are only two kinds of people on earth.  And I do not mean men and women.  They are either Alive people or Dead people.  You can be dead before you are dead.  If you are Alive you know it.  If you are  Dead you know it.  The devil is the mer­chant of death.  Jesus is the Giver of life.      

            The ultimate purpose and mission of the devil is to steal, kill and destroy; we find this out in John 10:10.  The devil deals in death and destruction.  Jesus gives LIFE and brings RESTORATION.   All problems and at­tacks are designed by Satan to steal your goods, take your life, and destroy you and anything and everything you have.   The devil wants death and destruc­tion to overtake you. 

On the contrary, Jesus wants Life and Restoration to overtake you.   How did Jesus deal with death?  The Bible says He conquered death, hell and the grave.  Because He did, they are still conquered.  If we can see and understand how Jesus dealt with death, we can deal with it the same way.   

“Death” comes in many forms.  It is more than dying a natural death and becoming a corpse.  Death can come into a marriage.  Death can come into a business.  Death can come in the form of sickness and disease.  Death can come into a family, a relationship or any situation in the human experience. 

As we consider how Jesus dealt with death, we can learn some valuable lessons that can bring a resurrection into any “death” experience we may be facing. 

Let’s look at how Jesus dealt with the death of His friend Lazarus.

Every Death Attack is an Opportunity  

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. John 11:4  

            Jesus “heard” the bad report that His friend Lazarus had died.  We know that faith comes by hearing but doubt also comes by hearing.  Unbelief can be birthed and nourished  by hearing bad news.  Distress can come by hearing a bad report.   Fear can be initiated by hearing negative things.   What are you hearing?  Whatever you are hearing will either build your faith are add to your unbelief.  Jesus determined not to be moved or influenced  by what He heard. 

            Then, Jesus declared with His mouth what the situation was going to be.  He took the opportunity to prophesy what was going to be because he knew the will of God in the matter.   Jesus “heard” and then He “said.”  What He heard did not alter what He said.  He re­fused to give in to the sense realm by be­lieving the opinions of men. 

            “It’s not over.  It’s not final.  It’s not what it’s going to be.  God is working.  I am waiting.  I am believing.  I am speak­ing.  I am prophesying.  What I say agrees with God and because of this, the devil (and all his works) will have to move aside.”  This kind of thinking and speaking comes out of a mind that is renewed by the Word and a faith that is founded on the Word.

            Jesus saw sickness is an opportunity.  He even saw death as an opportunity.  In the believer’s life, every impossibility is an opportunity.  Your fiery trial is an opportunity for you to exercise your faith,  to get into the Word and find out what God says.  It is an opportu­nity to turn tragedy into testimony. 

When you see your “death” situation in this light, you will be encouraged to say the same thing Jesus said: “This thing is not unto death…. it is not the end….it is an opportunity for God to show Himself strong in my behalf and to give me a powerful testimony of His Faithfulness.”

            We are all faced with “Lazarus” at­tacks.  What we do and how we act in the midst of such situations will demonstrate just how deep we are in God.   We can say what others are saying.  We can agree with what the facts are.  We can accept the “inevitable” or we can prophesy to the situation.  God has called us into His Kingdom and given us the power to cre­ate with our words the things that are in the will of God.    

            Your fiery trial… your graveyard tribulation… your Red Sea and your furnace heated seven times over… your den of lions and your Goliath…  all these are opportunities for God to get glory and for you to experience a miracle.  Jesus knew that impossibilities are oppor­tunities for God to show Himself strong in behalf of those who would DARE to BELIEVE!

When under pressure:  Don’t Change your Plans 

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.   John 11:6   

            The devil wants you to change di­rections… especially if you are in the will of God.  If you are on the way to where God wants you, then Satan and all the forces of darkness are aligned to make you change your direction and alter your plans. 

Remember how the devil tried to stop Jesus on the Sea of Galilee with the great storm before He made it to the other side?   Here, as He considered the Lazarus situation, Jesus was in the flow of God and was not willing to change His direction just because He re­ceived some bad news.  Jesus stayed.  Sometimes it is hard to stay.  Staying can be standing still.  When we hear of pressing needs and powerful at­tacks, we are tempted to run ahead of God.  Remember… the Battle is the Lord’s but the victory is ours. 

            Satan is the author of all bad news.  Bad news is demonic.  Bad news is a fiery dart of the enemy.  Bad news is Satan’s at­tempt to get you to change your plans and alter your direction.  When you are the receiver of bad news, keep your eyes on your objective… do not allow discour­agement, worry, fear or distractions to make you change your plans in your walk of faith. 

            Job was a man who was a servant of the Most High God.  He had some bad news brought to him… over and over again.  On the very heels of one messen­ger, another would come until it seemed that Job could not stand any more.  And yet “in all of this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly…”  It was the devil attempting to change the course of Jobs life.  Learn from the Life of Jesus…. do not allow demonic pressure to change your faith position. 

            How many times have we wanted Jesus to “hurry up?”  Our need presses us to prompt Jesus to hurry to our rescue.  However, God has a time.  He has a schedule.  And His time is the always the RIGHT TIME.  During tough times, we need to remember that things are happen­ing in the realm of the spirit we can­not see. 

God is working.  The devil is fighting.  We are waiting.  And while we wait, He is working in our behalf.  If He is not hurrying, He has a reason.  Jesus needed to remain where He was in order for God to get the glory for the mira­cle of Lazarus’ resurrection. 

            Remember, when you are in the will of God, you do not have to change your plans when Satan attacks and emer­gencies arise.   Hold steady.  Do not panic.  Stay on your course.  Do not change your plans because of de­monic emergencies. 

Nothing is FINAL when Jesus is Present

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.  John 11:14  

            Nothing can be more final than death.  Death means it’s over.  Death means it’s done.   When you are dead…. you are dead!  It’s over!  It’s finished!  It’s done!  UNLESS Jesus is there!  Listen:

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.   1Cor. 15:26  

            So many times our attitude is like that of Thomas:  “Let us also go, that we may die with him…”   (John 11:16). Thomas was reflecting the normal attitude of most people when they are facing a death situation;  “Oh, well, it’s over.  No need to keep on.  It’s finished.”   However, nothing is FIXED or “set in concrete” in the world system.   Not even death!  Jesus is the Great Changer.   He changes things.  When it seems totally fi­nal and nothing more can be done… when death looms and defeat is at hand and all hope is gone… Nothing is FINAL when Jesus is present.  If He can raise Lazarus from the dead, He is more than able to resurrect your dead hopes and dreams and aspirations.       

            Both Mary and Martha fell into the trap of the “If Syndrome.”

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.  John 11:21  

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him,  Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.  John 11:32  

            You cannot afford to live in the land of IF.  “If I had just done this… ”  “If I had just said this…”  “If I had tried harder…”  “If ” moves you into the place of legalism and performance-based faith.   IF is not Grace.  IF is works.  IF will short circuit the will of God.  It does not matter who or what you are, what you have done, or what your need may be… all you need is JESUS.  He will erase all your “Ifs”  and  deliver you from your negative thinking. 

Don’t Yield to Religious Thinking

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.   John 11:24  

            Every time you are faced with an impossibility, Religion will attempt to rise up and “explain” the situation.  Religion attempts to make the Word of God agree with the death situation you are experi­encing instead of making the death situa­tion agree with the Word of God.   Religion is dead doctrine.  Religion is self-righteous pride and arrogance.  Religion is form and tradition and legalistic law.  Religion is a heavy burden.  Religion works with the devil to keep you in death.  Religion is deception.  Christianity is not Religion… it is LIFE.    Read Matthew 23 to see what Jesus said about Religion.

            Religion will help the devil kill you and destroy you.  Pious platitudes that look way into the future for pie in the sky by and by will not help you in the NOW.  Most of what Religion taught us about God had nothing to do with the present.  It was either history or Heaven.  God is a God of the NOW.  And Jesus is a Jesus of TODAY.   

Don’t Be Moved by the Opinions of Men

And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?  John 11:37  

            What people think and say has nothing to do with what the Word says unless they are thinking with a renewed mind.   All the opinions of men will not heal the sick or raise the dead.  What you say and what you think is worthless unless your WORDS and your THOUGHTS agree with the WORD OF GOD.  

Most who are so quick to give advice and counsel know little or nothing of the power of God.  The ones looking on the death scene Jesus faced, saw the grave and the grieving family and began to murmur.  Skeptics always murmur.  Doubters and unbelievers are always looking for REASONS.  God is not a rea­soning God and He does not operate REASONABLY…  He is a FAITH GOD and He operates in the SUPERNATURAL.  

Attempt the Impossible

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.  John 11:39  

            Jesus “went too far.”  He crossed over the line.  He “lost it.”  When you begin to roll away gravestones from impossible situations, the devil and all his helpers will accuse you of going too far.  “You can’t be serious.”  “You really don’t mean that.”  “Do you realize what you are doing?”  “What will people say?”  “What will my relatives think?”    

 If you never attempt the impossible you will never get a miracle.  When you refuse to roll away the stone, you accept defeat and limit God and stop all miracles from happening.  What stone will you roll away today?  What stinking corpse of impossibility will you drag out, uncover and present to God?

 You will never  get a resurrection if you refuse to roll away the stone.  This is your initial act of faith and it is this very act that moves heaven in your behalf.

Pray Right

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.  John 11:41  

            Notice how Jesus prayed.  He refused to pray in doubt and unbe­lief.  “If it be Thy will” praying will never get a miracle or experience a resurrec­tion.  If you know the Word you know the Will!    If you do not know how to pray the Word, you better never roll away the stone. 

Jesus knew (1) What God’s will was,  (2) How to pray in agreement with God’s will, and  (3) How to pray in great faith.  He was sure of His position in God.  He knew who He was and what God had promised to do for Him.  He did not beg.  He did not plead.  He did not an­guish.  He thanked God.  

Speak Faith Boldly

And when he thus had spo­ken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.   John 11:43  

            I get great comfort from this verse.  If Jesus “cried with a loud voice” I guess it’s OK for me to preach with a loud voice.   He boldly and specifi­cally spoke out and called for a miracle.  He “got what He said!”  Remember Mark 11:23?   

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall HAVE WHATSOEVER HE SAITH…   

It’s time for you to roll away the stone and speak (loudly) to your situation! 

Get Free

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave­clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. John 11:44   

            Loose yourself.  Cast off those grave clothes.  Walk out of your tomb.  Get free and stay free.  Do not get entangled again with the yoke of bondage that kept you bound.  Tear off the grave clothes and let new life come forth.  Refuse to stay in the graveyard dressed like the dead, looking like the dead and smelling like the dead.    Get Up.  Get Out. Get Free.  Stay Free.

            This is how Jesus dealt with death.  Since the Word says
“as He is so we in this world…” we can deal with our death situations just like Jesus did with His. 

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.   1Jo 4:17  

Word for Today:  March 14

Be Thankful.

Be filled with Praise.  Because God has done, is doing and will continue to do Great Things.  He is worthy of our praise and He is worthy of our Worship.

The Word declares that we are to be Thankful unto Him and we are to Praise His Name.

• Praise will perfect our faith.
• Praise will under gird our faith.
• Praise will activate our Faith.
• Praise is a demonstration of our Faith.

When we Praise, we believe.  Praise rises out of believing with the heart and all that is within us.  Praise happens when we are confronted with the overwhelming greatness of God.

The rationale behind Praise comes from remembering.  Remembering God’s Intervention and Blessing in the Past….  from experiencing His constant and consistent Presence in the present and from believing and expecting His glorious Promises of things yet to come in the future.

Now, what are we to Praise God for?

Praise Him for what He has done for you….

• He has made you Righteous.
• You are continually being conformed to the Image of Jesus Christ.
• Sin has no control over you.
• The devil is defeated as far as you are concerned.
• You are blessed and prospering.
• Signs, wonders and miracles are for you and for today.
• You are healed, whole, well and not sick.
• The Best is yet to come…. His Glory is yet to be fully revealed in you.
• Heaven is real and Eternal Life is a fact.
• The Best yet to be.

Praise Him

Word for Today:  March 13

Knowing is important.

Jesus wants you to know some things.  That is what Preachers and Churches are here for… to tell you things you need to know.  That is why God has given us His Word.

Many today feel that they know enough.  However, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.  No knowledge is a deadly thing.  I have heard it said that “what you don’t know won’t hurt you…”  That’s right, it won’t hurt you, it will KILL YOU.

My people are destroyed (perish) for lack of knowledge….  (Hosea 4:6)

Limited knowledge will keep you in trouble all the time.  Full knowledge (revelation that is received and acted on) will guide you into truth and keep you out of trouble.   Wisdom is Godly knowledge properly applied.

Jesus told us that we could know the truth and that the truth would make us free (John 8:32).  Do you want to be free?

“Free” is more than a political or human rights issue.   “Free” is more than a constitutional guarantee.  This is a free nation, but millions are still in great bondage. Multitudes are struggling with and being held captive by demonic forces.

“Free” is knowing the truth.

“Free” is acting on the Truth.

“Free” is receiving and living in what Truth promises and provides.

“Free” is doing the Word and living in Word Promises

Word for Today:  March 12

What you expect is what you get.

“He that expecteth, getteth”…

What you PLAN ON is what usually happens.  If you are planning on a “rainy day” that is what you will normally get.  Expect the Impossible and the impossible can become possible.  What you desire you can acquire.

Put yourself in a position to allow God to do something big for you.  Live on the raw edge of total disaster.  Expect good things to happen.   Know that God will come to your rescue (When you are trusting Him and expecting Him to do what He promises.)

Resist the evil and the bad and the depressing.  Give no place to the devil…  Expect your situations to change when you believe God, apply Word principles and plan on them changing.

Never accept or put up with anything that does not line up with the WORD.

Anticipation leads to manifestation

The Miracle in the Ukraine

During the short season of our mission beginnings in the Old Soviet Union which was made possible through the collapse of Communism in 1989, we were blessed to take small groups of people with us into Russia to host meetings, evangelize, and plant churches.  God would guide us to some contact in a certain city or town who would cooperate with us in establishing such a ministry.  We would purchase a small but complete sound system, and often an electronic key board to give the new church a head start in their particular location. Then we would rent a cultural hall, which previously had been used by the Communist Party for their rallies, in which to have our meetings.  They were large enough to accommodate crowds of several hundred up to nearly a thousand.  We were blessed to make numerous such trips in the days shortly after the doors were open for the Gospel to be preached in Russia and God used these trips to build a strong mission foundation at Life Church.

One such meeting was held at Lugansk, in the Ukraine.

It was our passion to present the Gospel in the most excellent way possible, even with the disadvantages presented by our cultural and language differences.  This meant striving to have the best music and worship in the meetings in order to reach the cultured and talented Ukrainians as well as those who were laborers and, often, very poor. One of our translators who had been secured to work with us happened to be a brilliant young Jewish girl.  She had become a Believer through the ministry of a family from out church who had begun a mission ministry in the region.  We discovered that her Jewish father was a very influential leader of a symphony orchestra in Lugansk.

So, we decided to attempt the impossible.  That being to secure this symphony orchestra to lead our worship and praise in the meeting planned for the city.  You can imagine the “impossibility” of this endeavor which would be to get these talented, but unsaved musicians to learn the music and work with us to accompany the singing and worship of a Spirit-filled, full blown Gospel meeting.

At the rehearsals, it was soon apparent that our Symphony conductor was going to be a difficult person to work with.  He was not familiar with Christian protocol and was very stern and, often, impatient.  The members of the orchestra were also totally unfamiliar with the Christian “way” of doing things.  It appeared that we were rushing head-long into a monumental disaster.  And our dream of establishing a loving, caring and compassionate group of Ukrainian believers seemed to be just that, a dream, and not a reality.

One of the songs Pat had chosen for a worship song was very moving and emotional… and one of our favorites.  And this would be the pivotal point of a great miracle…..

“As the deer panteth for the water,

so my soul longeth after thee,

You alone are my heart’s desire

and I long to worship Thee…”

When the symphony leader and the musicians began to play this chorus and when the people began to sing, a supernatural Presence engulfed us all.  The power of God was so real… many began to weep.  And the leader of the symphony was included.

The Miracle of Lugansk was that our interpreter’s Jewish father, the cultured, educated, stern and influential leader of the symphony gave his heart to Jesus.

Following this initial Divine Intervention, some years later, the young girl and her entire Jewish family migrated to Israel… their  spiritual “home.”   Then she, now married and a mom, along with her husband planted a strong Messianic Believer’s ministry, consisting of several churches, in northern Israel which is now thriving and assisting in the relocation of Jewish refugees returning to Israel from all over the world.

Never underestimate the Power and the Plan of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 42:

1 As the deer panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:…

Word for Today:  March 11

Meeting with God.

When Moses met God on Sinai, the meeting nearly blew the top of the mountain off.

When Elijah met God on Mt. Carmel, a Fire Storm fell from heaven, licked up trenches filled with water and announced that God answers by Fire.

When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego met God in the fiery furnace they survived unscathed (through a seven-times-hotter furnace than ever) and Jesus came and celebrated with them.

When Solomon met God in the New Temple, the power of God was so great that every priest and every singer and every worshipper could not stand on their feet.

When Jesus the Man met God at Calvary, thunder came and darkness fell and a great earthquake shook all of Jerusalem… even the graves were opened and the dead walked among the living.

When the 120 met God in the upper room, tongues of fire fell, sounds like a howling hurricane blew through the house and they all began to speak in tongues.

When the church in Acts had a prayer meeting the place was “shaken.”

These trail-blazing Saints encountered God and the encounter was significant.  It was noticed.  Something happened.

When we Encounter God…. Something happens.  Something that cannot be unnoticed.

Something significant.  Something supernatural.  Something life-changing.

Word for Today:  March 9

Stand on the WORD.

Maintain your confidence in God’s Faithfulness.  God said it… That settles it.   God promised it and God will provide it.

Let God be true and every man a liar… Rom 3:4

Do not let the things which you have heard “slip”… resist falling back into unbelief and doubt.  Stand on the Word… no matter what.  “Having done all…. stand!”

Actively look for and seek places where you can prove God’s Word.  Hold forth the Word of Life.   Believe the Word by Acting on the Word.  Do the Word.  Speak the Word.  Honor the Word.  Obey the Word.

• Resist compromise and cast out doubt.
• Question your questions and doubt your doubts, but believe God’s word.
• The Word is alive and filled with Power.
• The Word will perform and accomplish that which God purposed it to accomplish.
• The Word will not return void.

It will work.  Anytime.  Every time.  All the time.

Word for Today:  March 8

Preaching.

Preaching is done by men.  By women.  By children.  By twice-born, Holy Ghost appointed and anointed human beings.  Not by angels.  Not by Seraphim or Cherubim.  Not by heavenly hosts…  but by Human beings who are full of the Holy Ghost and consumed by Fire.  Those who are Called.  Who are Commissioned.  Who are Ordained by God.  Who are Selected.  Who are Sent.

Jesus was a Preacher.  He was called.  He was appointed.  He was anointed.  He was sent.  First and foremost, Jesus was a Preacher.  He had Fire in His bones, Oil on His head and a Sword in His mouth.

However, His outward qualifications would not be adequate to place Him in a modern ministry.  His demeanor would not qualify Him to be a successful preacher in the setting of today’s church.  His education would be lacking and His experience inadequate to qualify Him for a successful pastoral position in today’s religious world.

He did not dress like a preacher.  He did not keep company with preachers or with people preachers normally keep company with.  He did not act like a preacher, talk like a preacher, or live like a preacher.  He did not have a preacher’s education or a preacher’s credentials.  Yet, He was and is the Son of God.  He was a Word preacher…  Ahead of His time but in tune with His Father.  He was literally consumed with His Call and ready to Die for His Cause.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?   Rom 10:14