Joy? Faith?… In a trial?

3 comments so far | February 25th, 2009 | Posted in Christian Living, Day to Day

How many of you are going through (or have been in) a very trying in your life.  You may have tension in your relationships, anger and bitterness, or confusion about why you are going through difficulty.  I will be the first to confess I don’t have all the answers.  It makes so much sense for God to just mature us overnight and eliminate all struggles with sin and each other.

In my time of trial I come to this passage in James 1:2-8

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

I don’t know about you, but I find that first command very hard obey.  I mean, Brother James, are you sure you are hearing that right?  Count it all what… Joy!  And when?  When I fall into various trials!  Lord have mercy.  I certainly do not respond to trials with joy and thankfulness.  Joy, one of the fruits of the spirit, is to be a hallmark of the Christian’s life.  I used to think that if I acquired certain possessions they would be make me happy.  I have know learned that nothing in this world is truly satisfying except God and what he has for me.  As a Third Day song says, “Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you Lord.” Amen!

Let us look at the rest of the passage.  The main emphasis here is faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) How many us are consistently operating in the living, breathing, faith that is available in the Holy Spirit?  I know I’m not.  But I also know that is not where I want to stay.  Oh, no!  God forbid that I stay in one place and fail to move forward with Him.  I want a living, breathing, active, alive, powerful, true, and unfailing faith in God.  A faith, though small as a mustard seed, yet strong enough to move mountains- mountains of fear, doubt, bitterness, anger, and un-forgiveness.  A faith that trusts God through the good times and the bad.  That is the kind of faith that I want.

Faith of that kind is not beyond me, but it is beyond me in my own strength to reach or attain.  I am only a saved sinner who fails too often in my dealings, but praise the Lord we are not saved and maintained in the faith based on our works.  Praise God for his grace which is freely bestowed on those who request it.  In grace, through grace, and by grace I can walk in the faith of God through times of trial.

In Christ by grace,

Erik Brown

Tagged in: , , ,

The New Change

2 comments so far | February 3rd, 2009 | Posted in Politics, Pro-Life, Society

The last weeks have ushered in a new era of change that is, in many ways, the antithesis of the former administration.  Sweeping changes by the Obama administration have unveiled a course regarding foreign policy, fiscal management, and moral definition that differs radically from that of the Bush administration.  Watching the coverage of the inauguration I noted that a reporter interviewed a teenage boy after the oath.  He had not voted for Obama, yet he said, “I would not have missed it [the inauguration] for anything.  Now that he [Obama] is the president I think it is important for us to stand behind him.”

There is a fallacy in this kind of thinking that is evidenced in larger numbers of our society.  People have neglected to stand and think for themselves.  Blind, whole-hearted devotion to anyone (or thing) is misplaced and paves the way for danger in the future.  The words of scripture come to mind, “The blind lead the blind and they both fall into a ditch.”  Those who fail to see the light of the Word are left blind to the truth and for them, truth is decided based on the relevancy of the moment.

We are not called to support rulers solely because they reach the administrative seat.  If Obama signs into law the FOCA, there will be men and women in the medical profession who may be pressured to aid in the “legal” destruction of life.  Should they obey God or man?  Man does not decide right and wrong, only what is legal and non-legal.  Legality is nothing, right and wrong is everything.  What will a man give in exchange for his soul.  In obeying the law one may sell their soul to the devil.  Obey the legal mandates and disown the Lord? Never.  The battle cry of Joshua echoes through the ages, “As for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”

Whenever a conflict of loyalty arises, there remains but one option- avow or deny the Lord.  Jesus said, “Whoever denies me before men, him also I will deny before my Father in heaven.”  Obedience to God’s law, even if contrary to man’s legal rulings, is the means by which we avow our allegiance to the Father.

Tagged in: , , ,

Time and Teens

2 comments so far | January 21st, 2009 | Posted in Life

Teens and primarily high-school age teens seem to be so busy.  At least, I always thought I was busy when I was in school.  Now, I realize a stark truth- I will probably never have as much free time as when I was in school.  Life tends to get busier the older we get.

I am realizing the truth of a message I had, quite frankly, grown tired of hearing.  I have always acknowledged the importance of using the teen years to prepare for the future, but what I didn’t realize (when I was high school age) was that I had so much time that could be utilized.  Teens are blessed with time and energy.  However, we may not realize how much time we could be using in worthwhile activities.  (When you find time to play x-box for a couple hours a day, that’s time that could be used in a worthwhile activity.  I guess that time could be useful if you plan on becoming a career gamer.)  Just so we are clear on this: video games are not evil, but the time spent playing them is time that is unproductive.  If an activity will be of eternal significance or benefit to you in later life, that activity is worthwhile.  Leisure and fun has it’s place, just don’t let fun become what you live for.

So, my call is for us to be productive to the best of our ability during this time.  We must all be striving to do the most good, the most time.  Do we have time for leisure, fun (x-box), and rest?  Absolutely!  But our time must be balanced in such a way as to honor God and win the race of life.  Run the race of life with energy, zest, and passion!  Use your time to accomplish things that are above and beyond imagination!  Give God your best!

Tagged in: , , ,

Seek First the Kingdom

5 comments so far | January 10th, 2009 | Posted in Christian Living, Life

I am considering making it a goal to do a weekly blog post.  I know many of you dedicated bloggers post considerably more than that.  If there are some amazing bloggers who can swing that and work a full time job, hats off to them (I am not one of them).  Unfortunately, I only get on my computer about once a week and that is as often as I check my email.  I’m sure you are also aware that I haven’t made it around the blogosphere and commented on my friend’s blogs.  For that I am sorry as I am sure I am missing a lot of great posts.  However, this is not a resignation from the blogosphere, just a period of change in my life (everyone loves change these days) which leaves me less time for the internet and blogging.

Lately, I have been meditating on Mathew 6:33 “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.”  This is an incredible promise.  Mathew 6 details what will be added unto us- food and clothing.  The verse does not say wealth, or abundance, but that our needs will be met if we seek first the Kingdom of God.  I have been meditating on this verse during the day and seeking to follow it.  Whenever I think about financial needs, I try and focus on seeking the Kingdom of God first.  What does it mean to, “Seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?”  I think it means to seek God’s will, purpose, and work.  Jesus prayed in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”  In seeking the kingdom we are seeking the righteousness of that kingdom.  Jesus demonstrated the perfect example of the righteousness of God.  We look as His life and ministry and the most vital thing was His relationship with the Father.  First and foremost Jesus spent time in prayer seeking the Father’s will.  Jesus was seeking the Kingdom. 

We also must first seek the Kingdom.  We are all called to live lives of ministry and purpose.  God promises to provide for our physical existence, if we seek to fulfill our parts in His kingdom.  Sara Groves wrote in one of her songs,

“In the morning when I rise, help me to prioritize all the thoughts that fill my head.  Before the snooze alarm, reminds me that my day is starting, before the dreams have left my head.  I want to praise you, I need to praise you.”

This is the same attitude and priority we need to have.  The first words in the Lord’s Prayer are, “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”  Or, Holy be thy name.  Praise Adoni to our God!  This is our first privilege as we seek the Kingdom.  Praising the Lord.

This week try and remember to focus on your role in the Kingdom.  We all play a vital part in the army of Lord.  Whether you work in your home serving your parents and siblings, work in a homeless shelter, work as the assistant church secretary, or lead a popular Christian band, fulfill your role in the Kingdom of God and do all for His glory.

In Christ,

Erik Brown

Merry Christmas 2008!

8 comments so far | December 25th, 2008 | Posted in Holidays

I hope everyone is having a blessed Christmas today.  A lot has happened in 2008 and we all have much to be thankful for.  I would like to share with you a poem I wrote last Christmas Eve entitled, “The Reason for Christmas.”

Presents here and presents there,
Food to cook and things to prepare.
We rush around like we’ve all lost our heads,
And we rarely have time to sleep in our beds.

But in the hustle and bustle of rushing around,
Do we stop and remember for whom this day was found?
Do we think of the Babe there lying in hay?
Or do we merely ask, “What will I get today?”

Remember the wise men who followed the star,
Who brought their gifts and came from afar.
The shepherds to whom glad tidings rang out,
Of peace and goodwill the angels did shout.

And finally, the manger in which Jesus laid,
A manger for a cradle and all filled with hay.
Jesus was born in a meek lowly place,
Lacking wealth, finery, and curtains of lace.

His destiny? To provide a way of Salvation,
And so deliver us, His foremost creation.
To pay the price for our sin by dying one day,
On a cross and so fulfilling God’s chosen way.

And so as you go through this season of giving,
Thank God for his blessings by which you are living.
Remember the Source of this time and this season,
And don’t forget Jesus is the first and best reason.

Written by: Erik Brown

Date: 12-24-2007
Revised: 12-25-08
Copyright 2008

Tagged in: ,

When Life Puts You To The Test

1 comment so far | December 11th, 2008 | Posted in Christian Living

What happens when life puts you to the test?  When the really difficult comes pounding on the door?  Do you put on a bold face and take it in stride?  Worry and talk to anyone who will listen?  Get angry and/or frustrated?  Or, take your cares to the Lord and trust in Him?

We all respond to pressure in many different ways.  It’s easy to spot the biblical response.  “Take your cares to the Lord and trust in Him.”  That is much easier said than done.  I find my responses to difficulties are as varied as the difficulties themselves.  Too often I do not respond to difficulty with trust and thanksgiving.  The other day I was on the phone with my boss at work towards the end of a long and difficult Friday.  He was talking me through some troubleshooting steps while I worked on this machine.  I discovered some bad news and told him what I found; almost the next sentence he was saying, “Hallelujah!  Um, do this!”  That really made an impression on me.  Instead of complaining he was praising the Lord and thinking of another solution.  Here was someone who was casting their cares on the Lord.  No, the news I gave him was not good, but he was going to praise the Lord anyway.

This is the attitude that we need to have- a daily, moment by moment, reliance on the Lord.  God often allows us to go through difficulty so that we are reminded of how frail and dependent we are upon him.  Each of us is one heartbeat away from eternity.  Just as a child is dependent upon his parents for his very existence.  Even so, our Heavenly Father desires that we have this same dependence upon Him.  Jesus said, “Unless you become as little children you will by no means enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”  This humble, dependent attitude is of great worth in the site of God.

This is convicting for myself.  How often I fail to walk in a humble and dependent manor.  However, let me say this, God has ways of humbling the proud.  He also promises grace to the humble.  I pray you and I learn to walk in humility and dependence upon our heavenly Father.

Tagged in: , , ,

Picture

13 comments so far | December 7th, 2008 | Posted in Humor

This may seem like a strange request.  The other day I had a negative critic claiming I looked like a Mormon on my blog photo.  The photo is from my graduation photo shoot.  But, anyway, I got to thinking.  Do you think the picture is too formal and I look like a Mormon?  Should I get a more recent casual picture?  Or, is the critic totally nuts and I’m wasting my time giving it a second thought?

Let me know your thoughts. lol

P.S.  Future comments of the said critic will be moderated.

Pro-life Petition!

2 comments so far | December 7th, 2008 | Posted in Pro-Life

Hello all faithful readers of this blog.  I have not fallen off a log and broken my neck or anything like that (in case you are wondering about my long absence).  I have started another job that has been tying up a lot of my time.  And, to be honest, since I informally left the blogosphere I am having a hard time getting back into writing articles.  It was not an intentional abandonment, it kind of just happened.  Anyway, I need to start writing regularly again. 

For now, please click on the following link to sign this pro-life petition.  My friends, Eric Novak and Josiah Robertson, have started this petition and they are trying to get as many signatures as possible before December 10.  Please sign this petition, and if you feel led, consider posting a notice on your website.

Hello friends and family,

    I am emailing about a very urgent matter. On December 10th, pro-life groups everywhere are presenting their petitions to stop abortion. We ask you to sign our petition! Signing only takes one second and can make a huge difference. Thank you so much!

Click here to sign the petition!

Josiah Robertson

Founder || President
AbortAware.com

Tagged in: ,

PASS IT ON: Freedom of choice act

6 comments so far | November 18th, 2008 | Posted in Pro-Life

 Miss Jocelyn sent me this in an email.  Please sign this petition.

Mr. Obama has indicated he will be signing the Freedom of Choice Act as soon as he gets into office which pretty much obliterates any steps that have been gained by people who are pro-Life – please consider signing the petition against FOCA by following the website below.

Please consider signing this.
They’ve already begun a petition against FOCA – the website is http://www.FightFOCA.com

Entertainment of Evil

3 comments so far | November 16th, 2008 | Posted in Society

Why do some horror movies turn into blockbusters?  What drives our society’s taste for fear, gore, and blood?  Where does that insatiable lust for violence come from?

These are some very thought provoking questions that are difficult, in some ways, to answer.  Generally, the root problem is the original fall of man and sin.  More specifically, what are the specific causes of this brutal phenomena?

Obviously, there are multiple causes.  This level of brutality was not reached overnight.  It was reached through decades of conditioning and the gradual increase of “permissible” amounts of formerly questionable content.  This change was brought about largely through the entertainment industry.  However, a deeper, subtler scheme is present, though largely unseen.

A mastermind is at work.  This reality is the work of someone who is carefully orchestrating the works of entertainment according to a pre-determined strategy.  Someone who’s plans and goals are the opposite of that which is good and true.  Many of you know to whom I am referring – Satan.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  (Ephesians 6:12)

Not only is Satan behind the entertainment culture but his demons as well.  He and his demons have their fingers and influence permeating throughout the entertainment industry.  Their scheme is also very effective.

I heard that if a frog is placed in cool water and heat is placed under it, the frog will not try to jump out but will stay in the water until it is cooked to death.  The frog does not recognize the gradual increase in heat.  Even so, the devil’s course of action has been to gradually introduce violence, gore, blood, and all manor of immorality to the public through the entertainment industry.  Our culture has been desensitized to the awfulness of what we consume on a daily basis.

An apparent need is for our culture to be regenerated.  But how can that take place if the church feeds on the same ungodliness as unbelievers?  Does the church in America have a reputation for avoiding that which is evil?  Pure and undefiled religion is too keep oneself from the world (James 1:27).  The world consumes evil and relishes in it.  If Christians in America loose their distinction in this area of entertainment, who will be left to bring about a regeneration in our culture?  No one!

The church in America must come to realize the seriousness of this condescension and acceptance of evil.  I fear that many Christians do not practice  “pure and undefiled religion”, and many need to be set free from the snares and influence of “principalities and powers”, in order to be salt and light.

Tagged in: , , ,
RSS for Posts RSS for Comments