More Than a Grasshopper

Numbers 13:33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”

How small do you feel this morning? There are times when I wake up and feel like I am incredibly strong...filled with the power of the Holy Spirit...like I can take on the world! Unfortunately, there are many mornings when I feel exactly the opposite: powerless, weak, puny, and small. It seems like these are the days when the giants in my life grow about 3 inches. I get smaller...and they get larger. Have you felt this way? Feel like a grasshopper in a land of giants? Here are some of the verses that I turn to when I am feeling small and beatable:

John 16:33
"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Psalm 139:7-10
"I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me."

2 Corinthians 12:9
"Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."

Psalm 37:23-24
"The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand."

Ephesians 3:20
" Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."

Revelation 19:6
"Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:

'Praise the Lord!
For the Lord our God,the Almighty, reigns.'"

God reigns indeed. Nothing has changed with Him. He has overcome the world...He has healed the sick...raised the dead...heard every prayer you've ever whispered...

He loves you so much that He has given you a purpose and the gifts to accomplish it. You are indeed valuable...and through God's strength you are a giant-killer.

See you in the morning,
Pastor Brian

Take Heart

John 16:33 "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

This morning, let's look at the list you made yesterday...what were the top 3 "giants" that you are facing? Didn't make your list yet? Go ahead...I'll wait...

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Got your list? Great! Now let's get to work!

Read today's scripture again...notice the words...it doesn't say you might have troubles. It doesn't even say you probably will have troubles... it says you WILL have MANY trials and sorrows. Is that true in your life? It certainly is in mine! So many believe that when they accept Christ as Lord and Savior that their troubles will go away. As you may already know, that certainly isn't the case. You will have challenges that seem insurmountable. They will seem impossible. They will be giant.

The list you hold in your hand is full of giants. Elements of your life that you aren't sure you'll ever get through... Let's look at the 2nd part of the verse: "But take heart, because I have overcome the world." I love that expression..."take heart" What does that mean?

It simply means...be encouraged. Never forget Who is in control. Remember past victories that God has led you through. Think about how powerful God is. Understand that the Creator of the universe is running your life specifically. Never give up hope. Always give up control to Him.

Take your list of 3 things...and write this verse above it. Underline it in your Bibles. It is such a source of hope when things seem at their bleakest. God overcame the world...He can, in His own time, defeat the biggest problems in your life. We must stay patient, stay connected to Him, and never forget how much He cares about us.

See you in the morning...

Pastor Brian

Swim!

2 Tim 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

This weekend, Pastor Troy talked about the land of "Hold Out" and the land of "Sold Out" In other words, going from a life of excuses to a life of excellence...completely giving your life to Christ. What are some of the things that hold people back from full commitment to a life that honors Jesus? Let's dig in...

I remember going to Boy Scout camp one summer. When all the scouts arrived, immediately they were taken to the waterfront and told to get into swimming trunks. The instructor told us that we were going to take a swimming test by jumping in to the murky deep lake and swimming some predetermined length. If we could swim there...turn around...swim back using the backstroke...and float for 1 minute...we would be awarded our swimming badge and could use the pools and watercraft all summer long. If not, we were considered a "white level" swimmer and were not allowed near any pools or the lake. I was not a strong swimmer (and still not today) so I decided during the trials that I would not even jump in. That water was deep! Who knew what might be lurking under the surface! What if I sank to the bottom...got a cramp...swallowed that murky stuff...couldn't float...what if I.... you get the point. I didn't do it. All summer long I sat on the bank of the lake and watched all my friends have the summer of their lives while I reaped the results of my fears.

I think a lot of us live that way today. The reason we don't totally "sell out" to God is because we are afraid to... What if He won't catch me if I fail? I can't see around the next corner...what if I am ruined? What happens if I start to drown...how will I know He's there? All these fears go through our minds. So we sit on the banks of life and watch our friends have all the great experiences. It's time to jump in.

What is God calling you to do? What do you know you are supposed to risk, try, or challenge yourself with? What are you afraid of? Rejection? Failure? Not knowing enough? Not being enough? Still running from a past? I've got good news for you...if you want to get to the land of "Sold Out"... if you want to really live...here are two words that you HAVE to grab a hold of...

total trust.

Easier said than done in many cases.... But I see so many people who trust God only until they start to sink a little...and then they begin to flail...and then begin to sink. Put simply...they give up because they can't give up control of their lives to God.

He's stronger than any current...able to hold us up when we sink...hold back what lives just under the murky water of life... He gives us reason to keep swimming...

That summer, I didn't sell out to the idea that I could pass the test. I missed out. Are you tired of missing out on what God has for you in your life? Quit wondering and start trusting. You'll be an ace swimmer in no time.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "He Knows"

A Man of Sorrows

Then Jesus brought them to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go on ahead to pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. (Matthew 26:36–37)

If I had the opportunity to know my entire future from today on, I think I would pass. I would rather not know.

But Jesus, being God, knew everything about His future down to the smallest detail.

As He agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew that in just a few short hours, He would be nailed to a Roman cross and crucified. He knew that He would be humiliated. He would be beaten. He would go through a horrendous whipping. He knew the great anguish that was ahead.

The Bible tells us Jesus was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief” (Isaiah 53:3). The Bible also says in Hebrews, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (4:15).

In other words, God knows what you’re going through. You have a High Priest—that is, Jesus—who has faced the challenges you presently face. Jesus was in this horrendous, difficult time, experiencing deep loneliness and abandonment by His friends. Yet He went through it.

The next time you face difficulty, the next time you face hardship, the next time you feel misunderstood and abandoned, remember that Jesus already has experienced those things. You have someone who understands you, sympathizes with you, and is there to strengthen you.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/harvestdaily/

That's why Jesus came to earth...to know our pains...to know your heart...

I am praying that if you are feeling defeated...remember that Jesus came to Earth so that you could live a life of victory...stay faithful and God will see you through.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "The Legacy of Faith"

Greetings Internet Campus Family,

II Chronicles 32:7 (NLT)
7 “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side!"

When things fall into crisis in your life, where do you turn? Many of us don't realize that when bad things happen, how we handle them is observed by nearly everyone around us. They don't always want to see how we solve the problem...what they want to see is if we turn to God when things get tough!

The Bible challenges us to live by faith and not by sight...to trust that God is in charge in our lives. As Christians, we are trying to follow Christ's examples of love, peace, grace, and patience. How well we live that out is our legacy...our children and their children will be directly affected by the examples that we leave behind.

It is very easy to tell others "Just give it to God and He'll work it out..." or "Don't worry" ... it is harder sometimes to apply these truths to our own lives. Christians deal with the same stresses that others face...our legacy is taking these stresses, praying over them, and (with faith) leaving them at the foot of the cross for God to handle. People see that...they remember it.

What will your legacy be in terms of your faith? Will people remember you for your faith or for your fear? A challenging question...but one we must answer if we are going to make a commitment to leave our mark on the world for Him.

Pastor Brian

Friday - "Goliath"

Greetings Internet Campus Family,

1 Samuel 17:26, 40 (NLT2) 26 David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?", 40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.

What is your Goliath this morning? What is the one thing that you woke up with that you just can't seem to beat? Guilt? Anger? A broken relationship? Fear? Financial Stress? It could be one or many of these. Please remember what Pastor Troy said last weekend. There is nothing that is going to happen in your life today that God isn't bigger than. You don't have to carry it with you anymore...Jesus took it to the cross with Him....so that your load could be light.

Friday is prayer day for our campus...please take your quiet time this morning and pray for the following prayer requests:

1) Pastor Troy's mom is having surgery. Please pray for her quick recovery...

2) Pray for this weekend. Pray for those around the world that will experience God for the very first time through your Internet Campus

3) Pray for those on our campus prayer list. So many people need extra prayer in their relationships, their spirituality, finances, and emotions.

4) Pray for your Pastors and leaders at Flamingo Road Church.

Thanks for being with me this week. I would really like to know who is reading these devotionals everyday. Please leave a comment below and let me know your name (first, last, or both....it doesn't matter). I want to know because I would like to pray specifically for each of you in my quiet time. If you have a prayer request, you can submit it at that time as well.

Blessings friends...I am honored to lead such an amazing campus...

Pastor Brian

Thursday - "Armor of God pt. 2"

Today, let's look at the last 3 pieces of the Armor of God...

4) The Shield of Faith - What tends to win out in your mind...faith or fear? They simply can't coexist. You either trust that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere-at-one-time or you don't. If God is in control..why do we have so much stress? Simple...because we are human. Our tendency is to take everything on ourselves...to handle whatever comes our way with our own power. We believe that worry actually changes things. Put on the shield of faith...believe that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do... your mind (and your blood pressure) will be better off.

5) The Belt of Truth - Deut. 4:39 “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other." A powerful verse. There is only one God. That's the truth we are to base our lives on. The problem is that people want to lead you to believe that there is no absolute truth. Relativism has become quite popular these days..the old adage "If it feels good, do it" still holds true in the hearts of many. That's not what scripture says. The truth of scripture states that there is only one God and we are to serve Him with our lives. God is God. What He says is truth is truth. How do we know the truth? Look at the next piece of armor...

6) The Sword of the Spirit - The word of God, the Bible, is the source of so many things in our lives. It's words are inspirational, educational, and timely. It contains no errors or contradictions. It's divinely inspired and useful for learning and correcting. This piece of armor is so important because if we memorize and internalize scripture, we will be able to apply it in our lives as well as help others in crisis. The Bible is God's love letter to us and we should spend quality time each day using it to draw closer to Christ.

That's all six pieces... Let's look at today's three...in your journal, write down three scripture verses from memory (with references). If you don't have at least 3 memorized word-for-word...make an effort over the next couple of weeks to do so. I promise you that God will use those scriptures in your life...

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Strengths"

2 Corinthians 12:10 (NLT2) 10That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

     I once tried to teach my daughter how to swim.  We both got into the pool and I placed my hand on her back and held her at the surface of the water.  As she started to splash her hands and kick her feet, I slowly removed my support from underneath.  She smiled and continued to "swim".  It was then that I noticed a change in her expression.  She was sinking.  The water was rising up to eye level and she didn't know what to do.  What was holding her up was gone and she was completely under her own power to stay afloat.   She kicked harder and faster but still continued her descent.  

 

Like any child would do, she started to panic.  She abandoned the techniques we had been working on and just tried to keep her head above the surface.  Her heart rate increased and her eyes began to fill up with tears.  She became desperate for someone to come back under her and lift her up to safety.  

Sound familiar?

Feel like you're drowning?  Debt.  Relational collapse.  Family trouble.  Work stress.  Health issues for you or a loved one?  It's hard sometimes.  Life is tough.  What can you do about it?

When crisis comes, many of us act like a struggling swimmer.  We abandon what we know will help us in hopes of just surviving.  We stop praying...stop going to church...stop giving of our resources...  We just flail around  in hopes that we will be able to stay afloat for a little while longer.  God didn't die on the cross for us to live lives of panic.

What many of us fail to realize is that God never leaves.  He is always there with us watching us learn lessons through our challenges that we couldn't get any other way.  Today's verse says that when we are weak...when we cry out and feel desparate...we are actually at our strongest.  Why?  Because it is at that point that we realize we can't do it all on our own.  The greatest part of it is that we never have to.  God is always there to lift us up and help us to swim again. 

 Now many of you are asking..."Why do we have to go through it in the first place?"  I have found in my years of ministry that crisis teaches us lessons and requires us to practice our faith.  If everything went smoothly all the time we would start to believe that we are actually strong enough to go through life without help...without God.   That isn't the case.

That day in the pool I never took my eyes off my little girl.   When she was weak she could depend on my strength to help her find her way to safety.  When we are weak...we have to depend on God's strength to help us.  It is then that we realize His power and His grace in our lives.

See you tomorrow,

Pastor Brian

Thursday 3-27-08 "Acting Out"

Greetings Internet Campus,

I tend to be a little on the analytical side. I'm a perfectionist that needs to know every single detail before I act on something. Have you ever read a product manual for something that you have bought? I have. In fact I like to look around the bookstore for manuals that are thicker and more informative than the manual that came with my product so that I can milk every single feature out of my purchase.

I've even tried to read the instructions in a different language to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

Are you a "facts/information" person?

Luke 24:11-12a (NLT2): “But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.”

Today's scripture talks about a man who was exactly the opposite of all that we've talked about so far. He didn't need every detail. He wasn't afraid to go out on his own and risk embarrassment or failure. He wasn't analytical to the point of paralysis. His name is Peter. I could stand to be more like him.

In this passage...nobody believed that Jesus could have possible risen from the dead. They all chose to weep. They all said that they needed more information. All of them thought that resurrection was nonsense. Death had a pretty good track record in being a permanent condition. They had to see the all the facts in front of them. Not Peter.

"However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look."

I LOVE that about Peter. He didn't need to analyze anything. He didn't need to pick apart the evidence...he just moved. He RAN to the tomb to look. It didn't matter to him what others thought of him...he was going to get there. What many considered nonsense...Peter saw as an opportunity to get closer to his Savior.

How about you this morning? What is it in your life that you are praying for? Are you running to God expectantly? Or are you waiting around gathering details...focusing on having all of the facts first? Lace up and sprint to your Creator this morning. Run to Him with faith like a child. Don't get what "has always been the case" get in the way of what God can and will do in your life.

Write it Down: Which do you relate to more? Fact gatherer or Peter? Which does God want you to be more like in your faith? Write down 2 things that you can do to be more like Peter.

See you tomorrow as we wrap up a GREAT week here on the blog!

Pastor Brian

Wednesday 2-27-08 "Creativity"

Greetings Internet Campus,

Today we are going to look at point two...Creativity.

Mark 2:4 (NLT2): “They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.”

You're going to hear this a lot from me this week...I love this part of the passage. It shows that no matter what, these men were going to get their paralyzed friend in to see Jesus. Before they even arrived at the scene, they had decided that they were going to do whatever it takes to achieve their goal. Man, that'll preach. How about you today? Are you creative with the end in mind?

I talk to people all the time in crisis. It seems that many of them (us) get to a point where we feel helpless...drifting...don't know where to turn...is that you? Let's put a handle on this today. Have you done everything you can do to fix the problem? Honestly? Are you working to solve your problem with an end in mind of victory? Or are you thinking...gee, I sure hope this works... How big is your God? How creative are you willing to be to get where you want to go? Want to pay off debt? Think of creative ways to spend less. Want to have a better marriage? Keep things creative and fresh. Want to have good health? Stay creative when preparing foods for good taste but low fat. There is always a way to get in...we just need to stay creative and focused on our end goals.

So here you are today. There is a situation in your life where you know what you need to do. You have the choice to make...focus on the crowd or the goal. Which is it going to be? Are you waiting for Jesus to come out or are you going in? Are you so determined to change your circumstances that you will use the creativity God has given you to achieve your desired end result? The world is full of people who will wait and worry...or maybe even give up. They turn around with their mats and head home...carrying their burdens with them. Dare to be different. Focus, be creative, have faith, and don't stop until you are where God wants you to be.

Write it down: Think of a situation in your life where today's lesson applies. Write down 3 creative ways to change your circumstances. During your prayer time, commit to doing these things to achieve your goals.

See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian

Tuesday 1-15-08

Greetings Internet Campus...

Today we are going to talk about frustration...

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Wednesday 1-9-08

Greetings Internet Campus,

Today we continue our look at the Shepherd. God wants us to follow Him as the master Shepherd....He knows where we are going and how to get there...

But how are we supposed to know His direction for our lives? For the last three days of this week we are going to look at how to discover God's will.

"It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Our first step in uncovering God's will is to seek it. Sounds simple, right? Only if you know how to look for it. In today's passage God gives us two steps: belief and faith. This verse in Hebrews says that you must believe that He exists...that He really is who He claims to be. Why is that so hard sometimes? Why do we worry and fear? Have questions and doubt? The answer is simple...we're humans. The world lends itself to those emotions...it can be hard sometimes... However, if we're ever going to find God's will for our lives...we've got to believe that He is the source of salvation...the conqueror of all that causes us to stress out.

The other step today is to know that God cares about you and WANTS you to discover His will. It isn't a secret. It's not a puzzle or a trick. God has something special for you to do with your life. The Shepherd always knows where he is leading...we just need to seek it out with the faith that God cares enough about us to reveal it.

When will that happen? Only God knows...but we've got to keep seeking Him. He IS God and He wants us to find our purpose.

Pastor Brian