Every Single Time

Every Single Time 

by David Brenneman 

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16.

“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:17-20.

Whenever we're in private or in public...on social media or in person...when we choose a path other than God's way...we're putting a covering over the Word of God. Keeping the world from it.

Whenever people believe that it's not hurting anyone...they neglect to understand that it hurts their relationship with Jesus and quenches the Holy Spirit. 

Whenever a single compromise has occurred...the devil gets a foothold. 

Good intentions. Many have said that road to Hell is paved with these. 

"The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:7-11.

We choose to display whomever is guarding our hearts. We will either show the Spirit or we show our sin nature. 

Many choose the world's ways because of the supposed element of "fun".  

My Dear Reader...if all it takes for most is a single wrong decision to destroy a life or critically deform one...the same thing can go with intentionally choosing a single sin over obedience to God's Word. 

Many these days want to exude compassion and try to tell others to be sensitive to those around us because we don't know where they are in life. 

My Dear Reader...this is how life should be viewed in light of temptations and blatant acceptance of sins in this world.

If Believers choose to sin and its in public...people will think that it must not be that bad. 

"However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble." 1 Corinthians 8:7-13.

Christians can be very insensitive to the true effects of their impact on the lives of people whom God has put in their paths. 

A little bit of road-rage here a little bit of nastiness in a grocery store. An inappropriate rant on social media. A running commentary on a subject that would never lead a person to believe that a Believer wrote it. Participating in social events that are the world's ideas of fun but in reality are tearing people down. Using words to brutalize others. 

Every single time Believers aren't considering that real impact and importance of keeping the whole armor of God on...the enemy gets a chance to take advantage of us and our situation. 

People also honestly shut up at the wrong times as well. "I can't say anything because I did that too". So you fell off a cliff and learned something from it but won't say something to keep someone else from falling off the same cliff?  

People take the cop-out of "you shouldn't judge" as an excuse to keep on sinning. We aren't to sit in judgment to decide who should go to Hell or is more worthy of Heaven. We are to make judgment calls on what sin is and to both avoid it ourselves and encourage others to do the same.

I often find myself embarrassed because I said or did something that I shouldn't have because I wasn't considering the way I was being seen by others. I wasn't showing a lost world the character of Christ. 

Every single time we have the choice to show Christ to the world...strive to get it right. Being sensitive to the things of God rather than maybe even being right before men and women. 

Every single time...we can change the course of a life and point them towards a new life in Christ we should take it.

Are people seeing me or seeing Jesus? It's a simple rule.  

In NCIS, Gibbs had rules he created to be reminders of his own code of ethics. Maybe we should as well. I know several who have Dr. Charles Stanley's Life Principles memorized for pretty much the same reason.  

We need to remember that after coming to Christ we are no longer still living and breathing for our own benefit. We have a life to live in Christ that has purpose. There is a Godly plan for us. It may not even look at all like our former life without Christ.  

Every single moment we are awake we represent our Savior and Lord. There's no exceptions to be found. 

A few decades ago the What Would Jesus Do craze was going on. The truth is to ask ourselves "What would Jesus like me to be around this person or in this situation?"

Is my foolish rant going to point people to Jesus?

Is my griping about things that don't matter in light of eternity going to point people to Jesus or away from Jesus?

Every single day, all during our day, we make decisions to either follow Jesus with a whole heart or we do the Spiritual life not even half-heartedly and the world really doesn't see Jesus. 

My Dear Reader...you choose who the world sees. Either the grace and mercy of God or they see our potential for utter sinfulness. 

Every single moment of every single day the choice must be made to follow Jesus.  

If whatever you plan on doing brings a shred of dishonor to the name of Jesus...why are you doing it?

Take a good look at your 2024 with a critical eye towards doing 2025 right in the sight of God. Every single person is GOING to give an account of their lives before Jesus. 

What will yours show?

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Numb to Your Heart

Numb to Your Heart 

by David Brenneman 

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who watches his way preserves his life." Proverbs 16:17.

"Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling." Proverbs 16:18.

"He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord." Proverbs 16:20.

"There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25.

"The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the Lord." Proverbs 16:33.

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:29-32.

It's often easy to defend our position against others in our lives. The key question to ponder is what is that defense doing to our hearts?

Many times a defense we come up with has an element of pride involved. We find that there's no place to retreat to so in obstinance we hold fast to it, regardless of how ridiculous we look. 

Bitterness is sadly a pill all too easy to swallow. It's not beneficial at all yet pride says to include it if you're ever going to have something resembling your idea of peace. 

We often come up with reasons to not trust people and make those reasons stick in order to avoid opening up ourselves. 

This too can lead to numbness of the heart. 

These thoughts are in direct conflict with the work of the Spirit of God in the lives of Believers. 

Jesus said He came to give you life but not just life, life more abundant. 

We cannot embrace self and embrace Christ too.

I know of people who think they have gotten away with being upset with me. Not in the sense that there's displays of anger but displays of other attributes of non-trust issues. There's a wall of separation between us that's there and shouldn't be because of the same relationship to Christ that we share. This has gone on for many years and they cannot see what it's done to them. My perception of it causes me to take it to Jesus in prayer. The Spirit can and will go where I cannot according to the Word of God and His plans for them and myself.

Accepted bitterness and even anger destroys fruit. Jesus said He is the vine and we are the branches. When we abide in Him we bear much fruit. When we don't we get pruned.  

Numbness of the heart takes on various forms. Blatant acceptance of sin is another form. Coming up with reasons to say you're too busy for the things of God is another.  

Embracing the world is another. We can be desensitized to the things of God by believing the world over the Word of God. Spiritual muscles will atrophy. Grow weak. Won't mount a defense against sin or its practices or passions. 

Bitterness that is embraced means that forgiveness has never been offered or received. There's times when we need to forgive even if we never see someone again. It's a weed that shouldn't be growing in anyone's garden. 

False judgment of others is because of bitterness of heart. We are not to condemn people to non-forgiveness. We aren't to condemn people by way of our actions in saying that they don't deserve Heaven.  

What are we doing when we harbor anger or resentment in our hearts? We're self-sabotaging our relationship with Jesus. Period. 

We hold things against others whether said or unsaid and we self-sabotage our relationship with Jesus. 

We cannot grow in bitterness and anger and grow in Christ at the same time. 

We cannot harbor ill feelings towards others whom in fact Jesus died for as well as ourselves and expect to grow in Christ at the same time. 

We cannot hold to a false narrative about people, never seeking to know the truth, and expect to grow in Christ. 

Christians are either cultivating righteousness or unrighteousness. One is material for a future crown to give to Jesus the other throws that material away. 

The choice is ours. Pride gets in the way of the righteous life that God desires for you and I. Deciding to not have the time or to make the time to make things right between Believers is a sin. Scripture says that He who knows the right thing to do and does not do it sins. 

We're not going to get through life without people hurting us or those we know. Forgiveness has to happen because Jesus first forgave us. We offended the Holy God of the Bible. We didn't deserve forgiveness but in Christ we have it through our salvation in Christ Jesus alone. 

"We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also." 1 John 4:19-21.

To have bitterness is the same as having hate. Bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander all are wall building materials in our hearts...but realize my Dear Reader...the first wall built isn't between you and someone you know. The first wall is between you and your Savior. These things are a slippery slope.  

Start off 2025 with a clean slate and a pure heart. Forgive, let go, move forward with Jesus Christ your Savior in the way that He's wanted for you.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Open Your Eyes

Open Your Eyes 

by David Brenneman 

"My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path," Proverbs 1:15.

"Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord." Proverbs 1:28-29.

"They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. For the waywardness of the naive will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil.” Proverbs 1:30-33.

For most people the hard core truth about themselves is something they loathe knowing. Ignorance is bliss for them. They would rather just not know.

Would you be one of them?

That you would rather just not know that what you've embraced in your life might be something that God doesn't approve of?

Are you in a strained relationship that is only like that because of your pride?  

Are you wasting your time, energy and money on things that will mean nothing in the plans that God had in mind for you?

Do you at all consider the things of God as they relate to you?

As Believers we are not our own. We were bought with a price, the shed blood of Jesus Christ. 

From individuals to whole churches people are compromising the word of God to supposedly turn people to Christ.  

To show people one thing that their idea of living out Christ and in reality they've watered down the message of salvation to the point that its not even the milk of the Word of God that's consumed let alone the meat of the Word of God. 

Are your habits, hobbies, your ideas on entertainment so close to the world that there's no difference between you and the world?

Are you possibly harboring resentment towards people that's unfounded and it's really costing you a relationship that could have been?

Things like these are a part of the lives of people with their eyes closed their ears covered from hearing from and obeying the Spirit. 

Possibly could be called the Jonah Syndrome.  

How far did Jonah really get?  

How much effort did he put into doing things God's way from the onset?

Broken relationships are the hallmark of the characteristics of sins influence. 

Broken between us and each other and us and Jesus. 

As you wrap up 2024...what do your relationships look like? Are you avoiding certain people because of pride or because of real situations?

Are you honestly avoiding the Spirit? Going about your day in only your own way?  

What are you doing? Are you seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness or your own?

Ask the Spirit to show you the truth and wait for His response. Receive what He shows you with gratitude. The good, the bad and the ugly. Scripture says that in everything give thanks.  

Repair relationships with the help of the Spirit of God. Remove what amounts to worldly idols from your life. Double-down on your commitment to live Godly in Christ Jesus. Replace the worthless things of this world with the worthwhile things of God. 

Stop thinking that your compromises aren't so bad. ANY compromise that at ALL impacts your walk with Jesus is more than bad. No matter how good it may seem.  

Ask for open eyes and ears to only God's truth. Try that for 2025.

Your life is supposed to be material for a crown of righteousness to give back to Jesus. Is there anything worthy to make a crown from you?

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.  

The Mind's Siege: Today's World

The Mind's Siege: Today's World 

by David Brenneman 

"Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” 2 Timothy 2:14-19.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we." 2 Corinthians 10:3-7.

Our world right now is assaulting the minds and hearts of billions in mere moments...even within these moments of which it's taking you to read this.

There was something said a long time ago that there's truth in fiction. In many dozens of ways this has come about.  

Subtlety has been the hallmark of Satan's schemes. Don't quickly read over that statement. Read it carefully and read it again. Subtlety has been the hallmark of all of Satan's schemes. 

Getting people to buy into his distractions a little bit at a time, one generation at a time. Never quickly because he learned that quickly means swifter intervention by God. Subtlety allows him to believe he's getting away with things while the work of the Spirit of God still comes about. 

We get suckered into and sucked into trains of thought that we're still learning defenses against. 

In the midst of the first passage we read of "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed" Re-read that as "make every effort to be in public as well as privately to present yourself in such an acceptable way before your Father and your Savior as a doer of the Word of God who has been wholly obedient to your calling in Christ Jesus".

Meaning in everything.  

Meaning we are actively fighting back against these spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  

Meaning that we are intentionally seeking to understand the things of God. 

Our minds are under assault and constant pressure to cave into worldly desires and pleasures.  

We are tempted to live in the past because of the worldly belief that is where happiness lies. 

We are tempted to live in our current successes because that is where happiness lies.

We are tempted to embrace the rush of attention garnered by honesty embarrassing others in captured videos of people. It's an adrenaline rush that's addictive. 

We are taught from childhood, and it's not really the fault of those raising us, that in some singular way to compromise in something in order to get along with others in the world. Each successive generation teaches even more compromise is necessary. 

You and I are at war and it's a war of the mind. 

Consider...we have Scripture that says that we should set our minds on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world. So what temptation arises? The temptation to desire things that are of this world.  

Consider...that we have Scripture that says we should take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus. We then face every onslaught of thought to keep from doing so. So many that we cave in and don't even try. 

Consider why Jesus taught His Disciples to stop and get away from the battle of the world to be alone with His Father. 

Consider why Satan's schemes are what they are. It's to keep Believers in Christ watered-down and ineffective. To ultimately prevent them from having any semblance of a crown of righteousness to give back to Jesus.  

Satan's schemes are going to include form-fitting temptations that we will wholeheartedly believe aren't sins. While these temptations appear as wonderful things we don't stop to realize that our enemy the devil has been prowling around stalking us waiting for the approved moment to strike. 

He doesn't sleep. His minions don't sleep. They study every single aspect of every breathing human being because they take this war seriously.  

A really important tactic for him to use is to get you to believe that you aren't that important to him. That you don't matter that much so you don't have that much to worry about.  

God's truth is that EVERY single member of the body of Christ is important to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ as well as the Spirit of God therefore YOU are under assault. 

As soon as Believers take all this seriously they will see Satan's ugly head rear up in opposition. 

You say you're ok? Really? What consumes your life? Your time? How much of your time does Jesus get? Does everything else in this world get more of your time, energy and effort than Jesus does? Do you wear symbols of idolatry on your clothing? Is your happiness found in the world and not in your walk with Jesus? Are you a busy body for no good reason? Always doing but not really doing what the Spirit is wanting of you?  

Realize that the battle is going to be for your entire life. Satan's needing Believers to be ineffective to keep away the return of Jesus Christ as long as is possible. Until that last person designated by the Father to find salvation in Jesus Christ is saved the Rapture of the Church cannot happen.  

You're either growing in Christ or aiding the enemy of the cross of Jesus Christ. There's no vacations from spiritual battles.

We're to put on the whole armor of God for a reason. Putting off the old self with its evil practices for a reason.

Take time right now to see where you really are in this situation. Wake up and know that the desire of God for you in Christ is to grow in Christ to be Christ to this fallen world around you. The desire of Satan is keep that from happening by any approved means at his disposal. Read the book of Job. 

It's time to be who we are meant to be in Christ. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

And So the Days After...

And So the Days After...

by David Brenneman 

"The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, to receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, a wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, to understand a proverb and a figure, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause; Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; we will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil; throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,” My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path," Proverbs 1:1-15.

Many meme's exist to make fun of the masses concerning the day after Thanksgiving. Of how on Black Friday people are essentially ravenous wolves at stores concerning grabbing up so-called deals. Pretty much throwing their humanity aside to succeed at getting that supposed special thing for someone or themselves. 

We have seen or heard of such people. It's a very real thing.

On every single day that ends in "y" people are the same towards each other concerning various things related to sports or entertainment or even politics.  

Christians can and are as bad as the rest of the world in this. There's no single reason to spew hatred of any kind towards another human being. Every single person alive in this very moment and going forward until the predetermined plan of God marking the end of time...Jesus still came, lived a sinless life, died, was resurrected and has the offer of salvation open to them.

The very day of Christmas gets targeted for such useless bitterness. What should be a singular day of celebration of the birth of Jesus...has been beyond severely commercialized. It's become a byword. An afterthought of living life. 

Dr. David Jeremiah's devotional last night asked the question...did Jesus cross your mind at Christmas?

Was Jesus a part of your Christmas?

Is He a part of your today?  

The radical acceptance of hatred and bitterness in our world is one of the signs of the end times to look for...and people are ignoring the signs because the truth is increasingly uncomfortable. 

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these." 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

This is directly related to what we begin with from Proverbs. If Believers are really seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness then they will be seeking to learn what it means to be a disciple and then will be living it out. 

Here we are a few days after Christmas...is Jesus still in your thoughts? Are you now pondering bitterness towards those who gave you the gifts you were given? Videos surfacing in YouTube and Facebook are right now very prolific concerning this. It's amateur hour of "The View".

If Jesus is the reason for the season...why...does...it...matter?

What did Jesus get for Christmas? Over the last 2,000 plus years He's gotten billions of ungrateful people. Billions falling into Hell at an alarming rate at times.  

What did He get from you and I?

What will He get from us between now and Easter? Then from Easter until next Christmas?  

Personal happiness is as fleeting as the wind. There's no guarantee that it will stick around long enough to be enjoyed.

We choose to be grateful or we choose not to be. We choose to be thankful or we choose not to be. We choose...the Jesus way or we choose our way.

How often do we start off in the right place and something of this world pops up n we instantly say "oops, gotta go..." to God as if that time with Jesus really means that little to us?

Where is your heart during Christmas?

Where is your heart after Christmas?

As a song that I love says "give thanks with a grateful heart give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks to Jesus Christ His Son..."

Where is your attention, your heart, after Christmas?

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Character Assessment

Character Assessment 

by David Brenneman 

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete." 2 Corinthians 13:5-9.

"Character analysis aims to understand a character's deeper drives—their hopes, fears, and the experiences that lead to their transformation or downfall." 

What's on your mind? Are you focusing on the things that are of this world or the things that are important to Jesus?  

"Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42.

Are you honestly consumed with things to be done rather than what the Spirit is trying to get your attention to be doing or to be involved with?

Are you consumed by work? Is your job more important than the other aspects of your life?

Questions such as these point to revelations of your character. Are you displaying the character of Christ or of you?

This character assessment is something we're encouraged to do. Paul encouraged people to make sure of their salvation. Why? Because a true change of character into the character of Christ can absolutely only be true if salvation has occurred. 

Jesus is GOING to rebuke millions of people for claiming to have done countless things in His Name...and they will be told to depart from Him for He never knew them.

The fruit of the Spirit...are these evident in your life or are other bad fruits there such as bitter feelings, anger, jealousy, selfishness ambition? 

Are you so busy being busy that there's no time for seeing the truth about you?

Does not the Word of God say to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness?

Do we really need to keep up appearances or is what's been done adequate and we need to realize our needs in Christ need to be met?

In all the Gospels...the Disciples were indeed given things to be done...and built into these were times when Jesus said to come away from everyone and rest. 

Take time to evaluate your character. Compare it with the character of Christ. There's always room for improvement. Nobody has arrived. 

Don't be busy for busy's sake. Don't be blind to putting people, places or things above the work of Christ Jesus in your life to make you more like Christ. 

Pray for those things that are important to Jesus even if they are for the moment an irritation to you. 

Pray for those broken relationships because at its crux they are broken due to the influence of sin. 

Pray that the work your hands are put to will truly be whatever God's wanting of you. 

Turn up your prayer life. Turn up your time alone with Jesus.  

Everyone is a Disciple maker...you're either making them in your world of influence a Disciple of Christ or of the things you make important to your world.  

Examine your heart and ask the Spirit to show you the truth about your character and ask for His help in correcting your character flaws. 

That's the way to begin 2025.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation. 

Always at the Right Time

Always at the Right Time 

by David Brenneman 

"But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." Galatians 4:4-5.

"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6.

"He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;" Acts 1:7.

Time...for some this very morning time stretched on for what seemed like an eternity. For some in good ways and for others it really wasn't. 

Time was made for mankind. Over 2,000 years ago God, in the person of Jesus Christ, stepped down into time...at just the right time...a time set by the Father’s own authority as well...to make a way where there was no way to save humanity. 

Because of the birth of Jesus hope began and cannot be rubbed out. 

Some this morning are celebrating the birthday of Jesus. Some it's a day unlike any other. Used to work grocery and had a coworker who would rather have worked than be off because of his non-belief in Christmas.  

In Heaven time doesn't exist. In Hell it doesn't either but to both it is eternity that has truly different meanings. 

Many thousands of churches probably offered invitations to make this particular Christmas Eve the known day when they came to Christ for salvation...at our church many accepted that invitation.

Throughout the years of blog writing God has lead me to offer that to all who find it.

At the right time Jesus came, lived a sinless life, in full obedience to His Father. Obeying His Earthly parents while growing up with them. Entered into the preordained plan of God to create His Church. 

As our Pastor rightly stated...Christmas points to Easter. The Birth of Jesus Christ at Bethlehem points to Calvary where He was crucified. 

While eating in excess will be part of the theme of today, intentionally stop and consider the cost.

The leaving of Heaven as the Son of God to be born a simple human baby. The learning of how to do everything from human parents who probably had to get help from their parents.  

It is a thought that blows my mind...for Joseph...how do you teach God? God who knows everything. God who knows you better than you know you. 

While the possible presents are unwrapped and messes are made. While joy is possibly part of your morning and day today. 

While in the midst of all of this...remember...that this promise began at the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. This fullness of time was thousands of years for mankind and probably seconds for Jesus. The promise was kept in the form of a helpless baby to save mankind. To be the perfect sacrifice. Jesus steps in your way to take the punishment destined for each and every single person that began...with coming at the right time...to a manger in Bethlehem. 

The offer of salvation isn't going to last forever. Just as at the right time He was born of a virgin, born under the Law...He died on a cross exactly when it was supposed to happen. 

Jesus will return on a day set by His Father's own authority. That day when Jesus will return once more to receive all who have believed to Himself. That day also ushers in the judgments of God as promised in His Word the Bible. 

So while joy is the theme desired for today...be mindful of these things.  

Pray for those less fortunate than yourselves. Be ready to give a reason for the hope that you have in Christ. 

Merry Christmas to all!

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Your Insides

Your Insides 

by David Brenneman 

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we." 2 Corinthians 10:3-7.

When you are out in public do you watch what you are doing? Character wise that is?

When on social media are you watching what you are doing, careful of how you are perceived?

When among close friends or family are you different than you should be?

Do you ever look at your inner self to see the fingerprints of God in your life?

We all probably need no help in discovering ways to fall into embarrassment. We probably don't need help in discovering it...however...we can be desensitized to the criticism we richly need to become more like Christ. 

How sensitive to learning to be like Christ are you? We read here that we're at war. Peace is only momentary and not regular...at least not until we leave this world for Heaven if we're indeed saved in Christ. 

Do you take stock of your ways?

Are you careful to present yourself as a child of God in Christ?  

Do you or have you permitted things in your life that if you are honest God does not approve of?

Things that God's Word has clearly said are sins...do you redefine them and keep them ahold of them anyways?  

Our society for several generations now have been redefining sin to remove its utter sinfulness. Sometimes to the extent that these concepts have been introduced in churches and many many people have been lead astray. 

Jesus is against legalism but is for obedience to God's Word.  

When you even get dressed...do you adorn yourself in such a way that highlights idolatry or do you present a child of God?  

Christians are supposed to be Christ-followers...as Ambassadors of God in Christ there's a higher standard of life to be shown to the world. We're not to attempt to camouflage our Christ-like attributes to not offend those around us. 

Do you at all look to see how your character measures up to the character of Christ? That's the standard. Those saved in Christ are part of the body of Christ and should exhibit the character of Christ by living according to the Word of God. 

Your character isn't disposable. 

When at war as we are with the forces of wickedness in world...we cannot afford to let up in living life for Jesus or set aside our armor of God for any reason. 

Many make excuses to keep on sinning because repentance is too uncomfortable. Well...it's supposed to be uncomfortable! So that we don't do it again. That's the Spirit working in our lives. 

Satan's digging in wherever he is permitted by Jesus to do so. Jesus is only going to allow so much before He does cause life to turn and bring that son or daughter of God back around to a right relationship with Himself. 

Adversity, as Dr. Charles Stanley said it, lasts only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us. Likewise I believe even prosperity can fall under that as well. 

I don't want to be rich and famous. I would be reluctant to be desiring to be seriously well off. Why? For the same reason as is written in the Bible...I would forget about all that the Lord has done in my life and boast in myself. Debt free I can live with should the Lord so grant us. Moderately above that so as to not be in debt to help others and deal with life's issues I would be ok with as well. But I don't want to tarnish my character by ignoring what things such as what the world values will do to my life in Christ. 

Christians need to do better at valuing what the Spirit says is important...and placing that level of importance above anyone else. 

After all...we will give an account of our lives before Jesus. What do you really want that account to report concerning how you lived in this world?

As the hymn says "living for Jesus a life that is true...striving to please Him in all that I do..."

The inner man or woman is always laid bare before Him with whom we have to do. This means that there's absolutely nothing about any choice or decision we have made or will make that He doesn't know the absolute truth about. We may lie to ourselves but never before Jesus. 

We may redefine sin but He will never accept that. We may not call something sin but if He does...then my Dear Reader...it's sin.

Our opinion on this matter doesn't matter. If we have a problem with what God has said is sin then the problem is with us and we need to get over ourselves.  

In the coming week people will see all over various places an encouragement to make resolutions. Resolutions can and will be broken. Try recommitting your life to Christ and cleaning house of whatever you have permitted inside your life that you know He doesn't approve of. 

Get back to living for Jesus in all that you do. Get back to striving to live in the character of Christ.  

Do you not want to present a crown of righteousness derived from your obedience to Christ or are you really ok with giving Him nothing for all He did for you?

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Those saved should live life in Christ in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.

Take a good look inside your life and see who is reflected to the outside world.  

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Your Heart Above All Else

Your Heart Above All Else 

by David Brenneman 

"Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, “He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-9.

"Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:13-15.

Was reading in Ecclesiates 3...

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace. What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him. That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by." Ecclesiastes 3:1-15.

During the next several days consider the condition of your heart. Not the blood pumping muscle, the part of you that is your inner man or woman.  

What caught my attention in a meme and others comments really made me think concerning the state of the hearts of mankind. 

Denial is perhaps one of the greatest ploys of Satan in the human heart. Denying that this is bad for me or that is even good for me. Denying that such an such is a stumbling block towards growing in Christ.  

Denying that our motives are truly wrong before Jesus.  

People make fun of how right after Thanksgiving, the day we are thankful for everything we've been given, they go out to stores and fight people over things to get for themselves and others. 

Millions of people are encouraged to go out and spend spend spend in order to garner a smile on someone's face that might only last a few moments, days or a month. 

Then the bills come in January. 

The greatest gift ever is what Jesus did for you and I. Nothing we can make or buy can possibly top it. Nothing greater exists.

We are easily manipulated by the world while growing up to believe what is beneficial and valuable to a happy life. That we aren't successful unless we achieve this or that. That we cannot possibly be content unless we have this or that. That we won't "belong" unless we are fans of this team and hate that team. 

The hearts of mankind are laid bare before Him with whom we have to do. That's what the Bible says. 

Our hearts are always an open book to Jesus.  

There is no inviting Him into your life and there being parts of your life that He knows nothing about. 

For that matter for those who haven't come to Christ for salvation...He knows all the good, the bad and the ugly about your heart too...and He still wants to save you. 

We should take stock of our hearts when we really stop to consider what Jesus went through to leave perfection in Heaven to come to Earth as a baby to save the likes of mankind.  

When you do what you do...and rage at people...what does that say about your heart?

When you do what you do in secret...things nobody else knows about that God certainly wouldn't approve of...what does that really say about your heart?

When you're joining in the world in ungodly behavior and you see nothing wrong with it...what is that saying about your heart?

Between now and December 31st the attention of much of the world will shift to resolutions for 2025.

What will you do to improve your heart condition?  

Will you finally acknowledge the things that the Spirit is lovingly telling you needs to change?

Will you finally acknowledge the sinful desires that you have been embracing? 

Will you finally replace those things with a better relationship with Jesus?  

You see that's what we sacrifice. 

We sacrifice time with Jesus for time with everything else we replaced Him with. There's to be a healthy relationship with family and friends for sure but we aren't to replace the other times of life granted to us with frivolous and wasteful things. 

What's the condition of your heart? Are you giving for giving's sake or just to make points with people or think you're making points with Jesus? Are you truly celebrating the birth of Jesus or are your expectations surrounding just getting something?

Know your heart.  

My heart has plenty of flaws and that bothers me. I have to push to remove things from my heart and mind because they're too comfortable. But it's better to acknowledge and take the necessary steps than to not and garner the attention of the Spirit and He has to take the steps for me. 

Think about what's motivating you this Christmas season. Think about how you can really tap into the real joy of the birth of Jesus Christ and think ahead to when you will stand before Jesus to give an account of your life before Him. 

Your heart records everything. 

Your heart is open before Jesus.

Right now.

Would you be embarrassed or joyful to have Him physically with you? Watching everything you do, say or think? Why should His physical absence make a difference?

Your heart...think about how it's really being used. Think about what you're feeding it with.  

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Have you made room to do anything else when all is what God is expecting of you?

Your Heart Above All Else...

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Not Exactly a Christmas Story However...

Not Exactly a Christmas Story However...

by David Brenneman 

In the opening passages of Ecclesiates King Solomon refers to himself as The Preacher. In his writings he shows that he is using the wisdom of God with which he was given...and fell into many a trap when you look at how his kingship turned out.  

Anything man-made can be a trap towards sins sometimes unimaginable. Anyone can have great intentions going into something and have the bottom fall out of it.  

Commercialism has taken what was a good and acceptable work and much harm has befallen the holidays as they used to be. 

Some, in our world today, intentionally bring harm to others either by way of psychological or physical just to create content for their social media. Justified in their own eyes to do what they think their so-called audiences want. 

Vanity of vanities all is vanity is what the Preacher said in his book.  

I have read through the book of Ecclesiates many times and wondered how different it might have been had he taken the Apostle Paul's writings to heart and guarded his heart and mind in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Some disagree that a testimony can be ruined. Yet the evidence declares otherwise. An unreasonable, unrepentant, person can very well ruin their testimony, their reputation, among men and women. 

Displaying the character of Christ isn't a sometime thing. It's to be a 24/7 365 thing.

The Fall and Winter months are severely overlayed with extremely emotionally charged things. King Solomon wrote early on in Ecclesiates of looking at things through the eyes of wisdom from God.  

I encourage you to do this as well. 

Temptations are always everywhere and the temptation of compromise is the greatest in many ways. 

Should a Christian join himself or herself to a cause or some event that is sure to tarnish the world's views of Christ?   

A lot of people whom I have met separate their Christian life from their life in the world. Didn't the writer in the New Testament say to let your yes be yes and no be no that anything else is not from God?

Honestly it's incredibly embarrassing to see Believers behaving as they do in public or on social media. Do they not realize they are on display before Christ in those moments as well?

The schemes of the devil are by his design to twist, pervert, malign, the work of the Spirit of God in you and I. 

To seek the character of Christ in your life means a 24/7 365 commitment. There's no taking off the new self in Christ because of something going on in our lives then attempting to put it back on again after we've done or said what we have. 

This might indeed mean severing connections with hobbies and interests you have had for a long time. This might mean even losing friends because they won't agree with your reaffirmed commitment to your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Knowing full well that it was going to mean His agonizing death on the cross, 3 days in the heart of the Earth, and raising up to life again. Knew that He was going to make mortal enemies of much of mankind. 

Was reading something last night that I never knew. Gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold was a gift for royalty. Frankincense was for priests to atone for sins and myrrh was for embalming. 

Our character is on display before all whom God brings into our lives.

Sadly only a small part of the character of Christ is really celebrated during this time of year. 

The world is increasingly getting more and more selfish and all the rest that Paul wrote to Timothy that the world would be like. 

Jesus came to save you and I when we had no hope on our own. 

Taking every thought captive is a 24/7 365 game changer challenge. 

Do we seek the approval of man over God? Honestly even your reasons for gift giving this time of year can answer that question. 

As a brother in Christ said yesterday at our Men's Group...Jesus is the vine we are the branches. We are to be displaying the fruit of the Spirit.  

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

Are you displaying these in your life? Not just sometimes, not just before and after a game, not just before and after a movie that probably was inappropriate. Not just before or after doing something, saying something, that you really wouldn't be caught saying or doing with Jesus standing there?

That phrase stays with me: consider your ways.  

Like it: standing firm in the Lord. 

Putting on the full armor of God. 

Putting on the new self, putting off the old self with its evil practices. 

May the Spirit transform your life this Christmas season.  

As always my hope and prayers for these posts is to either turn people to Jesus or get them to come back to Him.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Different for Good Reason

Different for Good Reason 

by David Brenneman 

"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1.

"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." James 1:27.

"For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;" Hebrews 7:26.

The lives of Believers are supposed to be different from the world for good reason. We're not to blend in. We're not to go native as the saying goes. As Ambassadors for Christ we are to behave as such. Our actions and words, thoughts and intentions, should be causing others in this present darkness to see Christ. 

This time of year millions and millions of dollars and whatever other currencies are out there are spent on gifts for others. At the same time thefts are at an all-time high.  

In many churches months if not years of planning have gone into productions for this very holiday. 

Some out of pure motives to just showcase the true meaning of Christmas, others thinking that they have to be creative to attract people to Christ. 

The Spirit draws people. We're to be obeying God in our daily life. As Dr. Charles Stanley had said...obey God and leave the consequences to Him. 

Be the Ambassadors we are to be for Christ and leave the consequences to Jesus Christ. 

Jesus is Truth. Exemplify truth in living your life before men so that they may see your good works and glorify our Father in Heaven. 

Many a testimony of many Believer's are ruined by their not remaining unstained by the world. 

What's really sad is that all too many professing Christians do not see their lives as stained by the world. 

Sure who wouldn't like to make themselves or others happy this time of year? Question is by what means are you achieving this? Going into an inordinate amount of debt to do so? Behaving rashly in the decisions you make? Displaying rude and un-Christ-like behavior while shopping or driving?

Would an Ambassador of Christ be the way that you have been?

To be clear we are to be lights in this world...pointing people to Jesus for salvation. We celebrate His love for us that in while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. He left Heaven and came to Earth to live a sinless life, to be condemned and crucified. To raise up 3 days later defeating sin, death and the grave...now sitting at the right hand of the Father. Awaiting that moment to stand once again to come get all who have believed in Him for salvation. 

Take stock of your emotions, your behavior and maybe even your beliefs.  

In Christ all Christians represent Jesus. No exceptions or excuses. 

Celebrate this Christmas with a renewed heart that lives to obey God and represent Jesus well.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation. 

Living For...

Living For...

by David Brenneman 

"and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:15-17.

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

2 Corinthians 5:20-21.

"Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember," Mark 8:18.

Having a life in Christ...gives one the opportunity and the ability to see the world with new eyes for the first time. While in the darkness of our world we couldn't see anything. Coming to Jesus opens our eyes and our heart to begin to understand truth...then to strive to remember. 

Seeing the world perpetually with spiritual eyes is a necessity for survival. We are in a world of deceit and deceptive practices.  

From entertainment to religions our sin cursed world is literally Hell bent on keeping people from the truth of God in Christ Jesus.  

It matters not our opinions on the subject you and I are smack dab in the middle of the Spiritual war of the ages. We cannot afford to look at the world in the ways we used to. 

"Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh;" is what Paul said to the Corinthians as well as to all of us.

The rules of engagement require prayer before entering into the war zone. The probable surprise to all is the war zone is anywhere we are.

When we open our physical eyes for the beginning of a new day...we're in the thick of it already. 

Consider our current train of thought along with "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ Jesus" that Paul also made mention of. 

It's impossible to use a vessel for righteousness and unrighteousness at the same time. 

If our hearts are striving to live for Jesus we aren't going to be able to willfully be sinning against God. 

Having eyes that see the spiritual nature of those around us will help us to know how to pray, how to engage such people, and how to interact in their world. 

Recognize that the temptation is extremely great to compromise. 

To be wise in our own estimation is the road to many a grief.  

If you look at a situation and don't consult your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ and decide in that moment in your heart that you got this...you're in trouble. 

Learning to pray for the small things as well as the big is important to all who walk in this world. Assuming something isn't a trap to ensnare means you already tripped the trap.

Redefining words and situations that indeed are sin and sinful so as to appease your conscience...means you're too comfortable with compromise.  

Open your eyes to see the world around you as the Spirit sees it and says that it is.

Whatever the governments of this world are saying is happening to this world...take it with less than a grain of salt.  

The truth is this world is on a guided path towards the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus says to be on the alert for we know not when He will return. 

Would you let your guard down if someone of earthly importance was for sure going to visit you and you just didn't know when? If for that, why not for your Savior and Lord! Open your eyes to the spiritual truths around you.

See people as Jesus sees people. Color or race isn't an issue in Heaven. Only those saved in Christ are in Heaven.  

Look at life the way you're supposed to be in Christ.  

People are going to hurt us. People are going to deceive us. People are going to wrong us. 

We can still stand strong in Christ. 

We're living through a season right now of being hurt by those who used to be close to us. It's hard. It's difficult. But we don't have a Savior who is far off. He's well acquainted with grief. He knows our pain. We must keep moving with our eyes on Him.  

The spiritual state of those who wronged us is that they are among the lost of this world. It matters not what they did or said. The truth is that without Jesus Christ as their Savior too their path in history leads to Hell. On the cross Jesus asked the Father to forgive. If in that place and time Jesus could forgive...we have no excuse not to.

Ask for your eyes to be opened and that you would be obedient to the word of God and His calling for you.  

People probably won't understand.

Pray before proceeding. 

Pray before jumping to conclusions. 

Thank God for the good, the bad and the ugly of your day. After all He was with you through it and went through it with you.  

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation. 

Craftiness and Deceitful Scheming

Craftiness and Deceitful Scheming 

by David Brenneman 

"the fact of being clever at getting what you want, especially by indirect or dishonest means." Definition of "craftiness".

"render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance, typically an inferior one." 

Definition of "adulterating".

"the action of showing something to be right or reasonable."

Definition of "justification".

"Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.

"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

"Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

"As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;" Ephesians 4:14.

It, more often than not, takes more work to keep from working than it does to do the actual work required. 

Ever think about the words used in a verse rather than just reading over them? I was prompted to include some definitions today so they came first.  

That word craftiness stood out and brought to mind the passage in Ephesians. Made me think of the negative connotation of justification and how these words can creep their way into the lives of people. It doesn't matter if you're a Believer or not. 

People find their way into countless videos of dishonest gain. Justifying their taking what doesn't belong to them...and being proud of their craftiness!

"Craftiness and deceitful scheming." 

"but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God"

Do you do any of this, even in the smallest of ways?" I know in retrospect I have.  

We are often the most guilty only when we've been caught. We don't consider guilt as part of the situation until we're caught. More often than not we pride ourselves on our craftiness.  

See it now? Those who are saved in Christ Jesus are supposed to be different, supposed to stand out, in this present darkness in which we find ourselves.  

We're not supposed to waste time trying to figure out how to create spiritual camouflage to make it through life unscathed and unharmed.  

We aren't to be putting on anything more than the whole armor of God. We are to be in the Word of God daily.  

We are to be in prayer constantly. 

We aren't to try to find ways to get out of participating in the body of Christ because of the temptations of the world in which we live. 

Many Believer's by way of craftiness and deceitful scheming embrace idolatry and are so deep into it that they don't see it.

Many Believer's also justified their treatment of others the same way. 

Many play God in their lives in deciding who is or isn't worthy of the same gift of salvation that we had received.  

What about you?

Are you among those who have added idolatry to your life yet claim to be a Christian? Is the justification so deep that you can't see it? Go ahead...ask in prayer if you have...then don't be surprised by the response. 

In big or small ways things of this world have been crafted by Satan to interfere or flat out get in the way of the Christian's life in Christ. 

Even Thanksgiving and Christmas can be so twisted as to truly lose their original meaning by way of everything from personal experience to commercialization of the times. 

We can get swept up in so much and actually truly enjoy it...and don't take stock of the ramifications...don't see that it's not feeding our spirit in the Biblical sense and actually is feeding our sin nature. 

Someone once said that the one you feed in you is the one who dominates you.  

You feed your sin nature your sin nature controls you. You feed your new nature in Christ then its Christ who controls you. 

Have you been adding things into your life that are there by way of craftiness?  

You probably don't think much of them because you enjoy them too much.   

Take some time to step back and objectively look at your life.  

Are you feeding the new self in Christ or are you feeding your sin nature?  

"in the sight of God."

We're doing everything in the sight of God. If it's not at all going to be God honoring...do not do it. Do not participate in it. Scripture says to remove it and cast such things away from us. Even if we aren't going to be popular because we are doing it the Spirit's way.   

We who are in Christ are supposed to be growing in Christ. Feeding on the Word of God and prayer. Living in obedience to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ by way of the Spirit of God in us. 

Are your words cutting people down? It doesn't matter why. Then stop doing it.  

Are your actions not showing people that Christ is in you? Reconsider your why's of doing what you do. 

Have you idols in your life? Cast them away. Destroy them influencing yourself or others.  

Ask Jesus to show you the truth about you. Then don't disregard the answers. Don't dismiss what you are shown. Don't say that the cost is too high if you give those things up.  

The cost to you will be higher if you don't. Willful entrapment will ensue. Willful disregard of other commands of God for you will happen. Once you give the devil a foothold he will exploit it to the uttermost.  

Lastly you will be diminishing that crown of righteousness that you will be giving back to Jesus for all He's done for you in your life. 

Consider your ways acknowledge Him in your life and clean house of what all the Spirit says to get rid of from you.

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

What You Write, What You Wrote

What You Write, What You Wrote 

by David Brenneman 

"Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." 2 Corinthians 3:1-6.

You probably don't think of yourself as a writer, but as we read here, everyone is. Either by way of paper, walls, memorials, verbally or other means, memories are made and all are recorded. 

For those who are saved Jesus has forgiven their sins and remembers them no more. For us it's a different matter with our sin cursed bodies. We remember most things we have done in our lives. We mostly remember our daily life.

But have you considered the phrase "You never get a second chance to make a first impression". Even the suggested words in this app that I am using knew of it.

You write on the hearts of those you interact with. You do even if you don't realize it. We are either planting seeds, discovering seeds, cultivating or harvesting. We are doing this in our everyday life with ourselves and others. 

In Christ we are to be in the Word of God to feed on it and to grow in it. We should record what we learned to both remember and to share with others. We write when we do this. 

We interact with people and be it in small ways or big we write something upon their hearts and minds. 

There's nobody who's inconsequential in this world. All life begins with Jesus Christ. He is the Creator of all that lives and breathes. There are no accidents in life coming into this world. If God permitted it there's a valid reason for it. Regardless of the circumstances behind it.   

Look at the people of the Old Testament. Abraham for one. Samuel's mother is another. 

We write all the time. Think of this...ever have words you wish you could take back? It's because you wrote something that you wish you hadn't.  

King Solomon wrote of many things in Proverbs as well as a few other books. We read those and try to write them on our own hearts.

It's not easy but measuring your words is what you are to be doing. 

Atypically we get embarrassed or we say even more than should be said.  

Then we try to figure out what to say to fix what had happened.  

I often am struggling with not thinking before talking. There's times when I am asked something "spiritual" and what comes out of me is certainly only from God. The Spirit takes over and even I am in awe.  

The Bible says that Pastors are held to a higher level of accountability that these men of God should consider well what they preach because of this. It's partly because they are writing on the hearts and minds of their listeners. 

At the end of things, we all will give an account of our lives before Jesus. That is everything we have done and said and thought.  

What will your story say of you?

Are you thinking about the things that are going to grow you in Christ or do you spend more time with things that don't?

Even in this moment of reading you are writing. 

What we do with what God's given us is on us.  

The Spirit teaches us. That teaching isn't for us to hold onto. But to share with others.  

Think about the impressions you make today. As someone said you either are listening or talking, you're not doing both.  

You will probably have the opportunity today to write in yourself and others...choose wisely what you are writing. 

We're on the right track when we are seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.  

Write with "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Love your neighbor as yourself" in mind. 

Set your mind on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.   

Before the Christmas Tree There's the Story

Before the Christmas Tree There's the Story 

by David Brenneman 

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2.

"When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” Luke 2:15.

"Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way." Matthew 2:1-12

While there's perhaps countless religions that have engulfed this world, there's but one way to Heaven. That by no other name under Heaven by which we must be saved, the name of Jesus Christ.

Bethlehem was the foretold city where Jesus the Messiah would be born. 

God the Spirit had it written by the hand of man and it assuredly came to pass.  

What you also read today is that those who knew...weren't believing it themselves. They weren't looking. To them it must have been a myth. Something written long ago and had been now dismissed as a fable.  

Yet...here we have these strange visitors asking...which makes me wonder...did this visit stir up anything with these people?  

After hundreds of years someone caused them to take a second look at that passage. 

Before there was the tree, there's the story my friend. There's THE Story. 

Have you tried, in your Bible reading, to look for all the places written that predicted Jesus coming? Try it. What's better is that absolutely every single one was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. 

Nothing was left out. Nothing was missed.  

We pick up the story in Bethlehem where we are told the circumstances were such that there was no room for them in the inn. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords had no palace to be born in. No middle income housing available. Not even a chariot to be born in.  

Our Pastor has often said of Jesus and His resurrection that here we have a man who predicted His own death, burial and resurrection and pulled it off. He completely called His shot and made it happen. 

Consider it now that Jesus, through the Spirit and written by the hands of men, hundreds of years earlier did it. Called it to the last detail of His arriving on Earth. Yet nobody was looking. It still needed to be announced to the shepherds to get the ball rolling.   

The Angels couldn't keep it to themselves. Things that they long to look into were happening before their eyes. Their Lord and King, God Most High, Creator of them and everything else, was becoming man to save mankind. 

Before purchasing things as gifts for yourself or others this year...take time to really understand the story. 

Jesus so loved the world that He gave His life up in Heaven to come to Earth to save all who would call upon His Name. Starting out as we all have and living through what we have lived through. So as to find those whom are wanting His free gift of salvation. Every single person will be without excuse because He really will tell every person that from the cradle to the grave He has lived it. Experienced it. Been there done that and has the scars to prove it. 

Christmas isn't presents. 

Christmas isn't brightly lit trees.

Christmas isn't elaborate or even simple lawn decorations. 

Christmas isn't parades.

Christmas isn't cookies or dinners. 

Christmas is God saying that He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life. 

Follow the star to a place unexpected

Would you believe, after all we've projected

A child in a manger?

Lowly and small, the weakest of all

Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl

Just a child

Is this who we've waited for?

'Cause how many kings step down from their thrones

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior

All that we have, whether costly or meek

Because we believe

Gold for his honor, and frankincense for his pleasure

And myrrh for the cross He will suffer

Do you believe?

Is this who we've waited for?

How many kings step down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only one did that for me

Oh, all for me, oh

All for me, all for you

All for me, all for you

All for me, all for you

All for me, all for you

How many kings step down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least?

How many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only one did that for me

All for me, all for you

-Downhere "How Many Kings" (c) 2008

Jesus called His shot twice. 

Jesus pulled it off twice. 

Jesus called His shot a third time and we should be considering that He is going to pull it off again. We shouldn't be like those who weren't looking for His first coming when they even knew what city. 

Jesus will be coming back to take His Bride, the Church, home to be with Him forever.  

If you haven't come to Christ for salvation you won't be leaving with Jesus.  

Read Romans 10, verses 8 and following.  

Before there was the tree, there's the story. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.

Past, Past, Now and Forever

Past, Past, Now and Forever 

by David Brenneman 

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14

"Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; Those who would destroy me are powerful, being wrongfully my enemies; What I did not steal, I then have to restore." Psalms 69:4.

"I have become estranged from my brothers And an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me." Psalms 69:8-9.

"But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, at an acceptable time; O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness, Answer me with Your saving truth." Psalms 69:13.

It's easy to get into the reason for the season right now. If you have television or are at all on social media or have a junk email account that gets all your spam emails...you know it's Christmas time. 

Right now is a time where many are uplifted at the prospect and go out of their way to go the extra mile to be kind to others, sometimes anonymously. For others the grip of reality is quite different. The bulk of their losses in their lives of friends and family has happened in the month of December. To them after Thanksgiving comes a time to grieve. 

Here in Isaiah we see that there's a promise of a coming Messiah. Sadly, the Pharisees and Sadducees, knew to be looking for His arrival and weren't actively seeking Him. 

Next, we have a few examples of Christ in the Old Testament. Things that He spoke of concerning Himself. Jesus said that the Scriptures bear testimony of Him.  

Yet then and now people are oblivious. The sheer volume of predictions concerning the coming Messiah are incredible! All fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.  

In today's world most are not looking for His promised return. 

They aren't even looking for His promised help in their here and now.  

Why celebrate Jesus as the reason for the season superficially? Why bother if all you're really interested in is getting a gift that's literally given because of Jesus? You can always do that at any time. 

Jesus, no one ever born among men was and will ever be like Him. 

We try our hardest to create a semblance of our own peace on Earth. We want a peaceful life. People rage in order to take things thinking that if only they did this or had that, peace would be theirs. 

Stuff doesn't bring the peace of God that passes all understanding. 

Entertainment doesn't bring the peace of God that passes all understanding. 

Sports doesn't bring the peace of God that passes all understanding. 

Hobbies do not bring the peace of God that passes all understanding. 

It's the love of Christ Jesus that brings the peace of God that passes all understanding. 

It's the true gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone that brings us that kind of peace. 

We are always going to be dealing with stress and strife in this world because of sin not because of anything else. 

Jesus, at the right time, came to Earth. Born of a virgin, to two teenagers. At a time when the Romans held control over Israel.  

I have been working on something for years because of Mark Lowry's "Mary, Did You Know?". Questions for a song about Joseph. Joseph doesn't garner much attention in things.  

Do you wonder how Joseph managed? How do you raise the Son of God? How do you teach God anything? How do you care for Him? How did it make him feel to have such a responsibility?  

Have you ever thought of the fact that Joseph taught the Son of God how to walk, when Joseph knew from the book of Genesis that once long ago He walked the Earth before mankind was?

He helped teach Jesus to eat. 

Things like these have been on my mind since that song came out. 

Jesus, through the writing of the Spirit of God, said clearly that He was coming and did so. 

In the New Testament and the Old Testament we see that Jesus is indeed going to be returning.  

While we go through this time of year...my Dear Reader...please remember to celebrate the real reason for it.

A Christmas song says something about the real importance. 

"I live in a three-room shack it's not much to see

No special lights on my Christmas tree not this Christmas for me

I may not get a Christmas card or shoes for my weary feet

But when Jesus was born on Christmas morn

That was my gift to me

Son of God sent down from above

To cheer the whole wide world

Peace on earth goodwill toward all

And fill their Christmas with love"

- Christmas and Love 

Charley Pride (C) 1970

If in fact Jesus is your Lord and Savior...it is because of His promises made His promises kept. 

If you're reading this and Jesus isn't...He made that promise because of you and people like you. 

Jesus made promises in the distant past, then again in the recent past of 2,000 years ago that are about the now and the forever. 

Jesus is returning soon. Biblically fulfilled prophecies have been coming true in my lifetime and yours. There's really nothing left but His stepping into our world one more time to call His Church home to Heaven to be with Him forever.  

Scripture shows over and over again that Jesus is the promise keeper. Are you really ready for this season or has your mind run off to other things?

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, this world will know that Jesus returned for His Church as promised.   

My heart celebrates His promise kept 2,000 years ago today.  

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim...in the light of His glory and grace...

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.