Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson: Recent Episodes

Bryan Hudson

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Listen to the Message from Sunday, June 16, 2025"Legacy of Love" - Father's Day Message Summary of "Honor’s Reward" by Pastor Bryan Hudson, DMin

Mark 6:1 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. 4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief.

Bryan Hudson's talk, Honor’s Reward, draws from Mark 6:1–6, where Jesus is dishonored in His hometown and thus unable to perform many miracles. Hudson highlights that it wasn't Jesus’ unwillingness but the people's lack of honor that restrained His power. He explains that honor means to value, appreciate, and respect, whereas dishonor is treating something or someone as common or ordinary.

Because the people saw Jesus only as “Mary’s son” and not as the Messiah, they failed to receive the fullness of what He came to offer. Hudson connects this principle to daily life: you can only receive to the extent that you are willing to honor—whether it's God, people, or opportunities. He warns that like the Pharisees, people can honor God with their lips but remain far from Him in heart, missing out on His blessings.

The key takeaway: Honor unlocks potential and blessing; dishonor shuts it down. Let honor be both heartfelt and practical to experience God’s best.

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Summary of “Legacy of Love” (Generated by OpenAI)

by Pastor Bryan Hudson, DMin, New Covenant Church

In his message “Legacy of Love,” Dr. Bryan Hudson explores the biblical and personal dimensions of legacy, emphasizing that true legacy is not about fame, wealth, or status, but about love, service, and influence. Centering on 1 Corinthians 16:13–14, he urges listeners to be vigilant, courageous, strong, and above all, to do everything with love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14, (NLT), Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.

Key Themes:

Definition of Legacy
Legacy is what we leave behind—not only after death, but also while living. It includes tangible things like wealth or memorials, but more importantly, spiritual, moral, and relational influence—values passed on to others.
Legacy in Action
Dr. Hudson shares a clip from the late Congressman John Lewis, who framed legacy as living boldly, pursuing justice, and building a beloved community. Lewis modeled how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of love and nonviolence shaped future generations.
Legacy as Service and Sacrifice
Using Matthew 20:20–23, Hudson contrasts selfish ambition with Christ’s model of servant leadership. The disciples' mother sought honor for her sons, but Jesus taught that legacy comes through drinking the “cup” of sacrifice—suffering for love’s sake, not seeking positions of prestige.
Understanding Suffering
Suffering, in biblical terms, is not just physical pain but includes:
- Resisting temptations we've been delivered from.
- Maintaining integrity under pressure.
- Loving and serving others even when it’s difficult.
Hudson teaches that suffering refines us—perfecting, establishing, strengthening, and settling us (1 Peter 5:10).
Personal Testimony and Media Camp
He recounts how his Media Camp for youth, launched in 2000, began as a response to a complaint about negative media. God challenged him: “What are you going to do about it?” That led to years of impact, mentoring youth in media and life.
Legacy of Family and Example
Dr. Hudson honors the legacy of his father and his wife’s father, noting how they passed down a life of service. He likens legacy to footprints in the sand—temporary, but they reveal a path for others to follow. Even when the prints fade, the direction remains.
Living the Legacy
He concludes by encouraging everyone—especially fathers and father-figures—to live out a legacy of love. This legacy isn’t self-manufactured; it’s manifested by walking in God's light. We don’t have to strive for greatness—we need only walk in love and obedience.

Confession of Faith:

By the grace of God, I will stand firm in the faith, I will be courageous and strong. But most of all, everything I do will be done through Love. No self service, no selfish ambition, only God's purposes fulfilled by Grace.

Whatever my station in life, may the Lord continue to let my feet be planted in his path. I will live the legacy, my father, mother, grandparents, and all the people in my family and in life have helped to show me the way forward.

I'll take nothing for granted and never fail to give praise to God and thanks to people.

Christ has brought me into a place of undeserved privilege where I now stand, and I will confidently joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory with others.

Conclusion:
Legacy of Love challenges us to live intentionally, to love sacrificially, and to serve faithfully. It’s not about being remembered, but about leaving a meaningful path others can follow—empowered by God’s grace and rooted in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14, (NKJV) Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.

Dr. Bryan Hudson reflects on 1 Corinthians 16:13–14, urging listeners to live out the biblical call to “be brave, be strong,” and to do all things in love. He explains that the phrase “quit you like men” in the King James Version means to act courageously and maturely, not to quit.

Dr. Hudson critiques modern cultural shifts that swing between idolizing and dismissing fatherhood, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy and affirming view of fathers and men. Drawing from personal experience as caregiver to his 88-year-old father with dementia, he honors the enduring strength, love, and consistency of his father.

He addresses a common misconception—that affirming the strength of fathers somehow diminishes women—calling it a false dichotomy. Instead, he encourages a culture that affirms bravery and strength in both men and women, especially as Father’s Day approaches.

The message highlights the biblical grammar of “be brave” and “be strong” as middle voice verbs, meaning we act and are acted upon—like David who encouraged himself in the Lord. Ultimately, Hudson calls on listeners to embrace courage, pass on values to future generations, and act in love.

Listen to the Message from Sunday, June 1, 2025Live in the House of Wisdom: The Abundance of Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge Psalm 23:5–6 (NKJV)

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Bryan Hudson, DMin. hosts an insightful conversation with Denell Howard on Conversations In Focus.

Pastor Howard is the founder and director of Evolve International, Inc. The letters E.V.O.L.V.E stands for "Educating for Victory Offering Leadership Vision & Empowerment."

Evolve International Inc. is an organization developed solely to grow and develop leaders. Our goal is to inspire African American males to intentionally lead in areas of education, entrepreneurship, civics, and mentoring. The challenges within the Black community are vast and multifaceted, yet we believe we can articulate the solution in one word: leadership. Their work of Evolve International is to engage in the development of the next generation and to empower leaders to evolve by creating supportive environments through the five "C's" of Coaches, Conferences, Clubs, Camps, and The Evolve Education Center.

Denell Howard is also Pastor of the Hovey Street church of Christ in Indianapolis, IN. He and his wife, Keisha, have three children and reside in Indianapolis.

What I find remarkable and refreshing about Pastor Howard is his authenticity, consistency, and clarity of purpose. He is a man who does not compromise concerning the assignment the Lord has giving him, maintaining a laser focus on empowering young black men, and bringing people from all walks of life together to fulfill that purpose.

Learn more about Evolve at www.evolveleaders.org

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Sermon Summary: "Live in the House of Wisdom" by Dr. Bryan Hudson

Pastor Bryan Hudson delivers a powerful and practical message rooted in the wisdom literature of Scripture, particularly the book of Proverbs. The central theme of the sermon is an invitation not merely to admire or visit wisdom, but to live in the house of wisdom—to make it our dwelling place and guiding principle.

Purpose of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:1–3)

Proverbs is given to teach wisdom and discipline, to understand wise insights, and to help people do what is right, just, and fair.
Discipline is emphasized—it's not what others do for you, but what you choose for yourself.
Discipline leads to order, consistency, and purposeful living.

The Structure of Wisdom (Proverbs 24:3–4)

Wisdom builds the house
Understanding establishes it
Knowledge furnishes it with pleasant and precious things
This creates a metaphorical structure: Wisdom = the house, Understanding = the foundation, Knowledge = the furniture.
This priority counters worldly assumptions—knowledge is not enough; it must be applied through wisdom and guided by understanding.

Illustration of Wisdom with Cooking

Knowledge is like having the recipe and ingredients.
Understanding is knowing how to use them.
Wisdom is putting it all together effectively and appropriately.

Path Principle and Decision-Making

Proverbs teaches to ponder the path of your feet (Proverbs 4:26).
Life is about the paths we walk, not merely our intentions.
Just as walking on a moving walkway takes you in a fixed direction, so do life choices—you arrive where the path leads, regardless of your good intentions.

Living in God’s Wisdom vs. Worldly Lack

There is both abundance and lack in the world—not only materially but spiritually.
There’s a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11), despite abundance all around.
True abundance is not material wealth, but spiritual richness, rooted in wisdom and relationship with God.

Warnings and Encouragement

Covetousness is a danger—desiring something just because someone else has it.
Jesus was not poor, but He lived simply. True wealth is in wisdom and purpose, not possessions.
Don't lower yourself or dilute your wisdom to fit in—let others rise to the level of truth and light.

Mind of Christ

God’s ways and thoughts are higher (Isaiah 55:8–9), but they are not unattainable—we must rise to them.
Believers have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), giving access to divine wisdom.

Final Call: Choose Wisdom Daily

God's wisdom is a path, not just an idea.
Living wisely leads to stability, fulfillment, and God-directed success.
Don’t just visit the house of wisdom—live there.

Closing Prayer
Dr. Hudson ends with a prayer of thanksgiving, asking God to help believers live in the house of wisdom and guide others into the same.

Summary Phrase:
"Let’s not just visit the house of wisdom—let’s live in it."

This message is both instructional and deeply spiritual, calling believers to a lifestyle rooted in God’s wisdom, discernment, and understanding.

All of what we hope for tomorrow, begins today.

Joshua prepared Israel to cross the Jordan River. This was the second time they faced a barrier of water. First was the Red Sea after their exodus from Egypt. They miraculously crossed over with great joy, but they soon fell into bad habits. By the time Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy, which was the last of his five books called the Pentateuch, he was very aware of Israel's failure after the Red Sea miracle.

In that last book, Moses wrote about people focusing on God and doing His will "today" over 160 times. Looking back, I think Moses realized that the people's hope for tomorrow was not met with preparation today.

After Moses died, God raised up Joshua. As Israeli faced their second barrier of water, the Jordan River, we find Joshua giving them instructions today, before crossing over the next day. Joshua said, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5)

God has prepared you for every challenge and opportunity in front of you. Today is your tomorrow because what you do today determines your success tomorrow. God Bless and be encouraged!
~ Bryan Hudson, DMin

Listen to the Message from Sunday, May 18, 2025God's People in the City"The Path Principle" Bryan Hudson, DMin

I want to talk to you briefly about gun violence and something called "The Path Principle."

This morning on May 20, I received an email from Anthony Beverly who is the founder and director of Stop the Violence Indianapolis. In this message, he communicated the tragic story of a 17 year old young man who died of gun violence at 29th and Dearborn here in my city of Indianapolis. First of all, I grew up six blocks from 29th in Dearborn. I'm in this neighborhood almost every day as my 88-year-old father lives in the vicinity of 34th and Dearborn.

The tragedy of the young man who died of gun violence is a story that we've heard before, but it's very important that we do not become desensitized to hearing the stories. Because each young person who dies of gun violence is a person who will not get to fulfill his or her purpose in life.

As someone who with my wife raised four children, including two sons, have worked with youth over the course of 46 years of ministry, including running a Media Camp each summer for 20 years, these stories of tragedy always strike me as being close to home. While gun violence has not touched my family directly, like you, I know someone who has been touched by it.

The first thing I want to say is do not make the mistake of painting all young people, particularly young, black men, with the same broad brush. The vast majority of young people want to do the right thing, and are doing right things. I don't think of young people as being “at risk,” I think of young people as being “at promise.” This was the case with the young man whom Anthony Beverly highlighted in his communication. May and June should be a season of commencement, not a season of tragic conclusions and death.

I don't know all the circumstances surrounding the death of a young man, but we do know he was attending a party.

Let me talk about "The Path Principle.”

There is a story in Proverbs 7:7-15 that you can read later. It starts this way, and I will paraphrase it:

“At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment He was going down the street near a corner, walking along in the direction of a house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. Then out came a person to meet him, and took hold of the youth and said, So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!’

Trouble is literally looking for all of us, but especially young people because their whole life is ahead of them.

Here is the Path Principle:

It doesn't matter what your intentions are, it doesn't matter what you say you want to do, it only matters what path you are on. You might say that you want to go to Cincinnati, but if you're on the path of I-65 north or 1-70 west, and not I-74 east, you're not going to get to Cincinnati. Your intentions do not matter, it only matters what path you're actually on.

Anthony Beverly and Stop the Violence Indianapolis has many programs to empower young people. I know many others who have programs and opportunities for young people. Many churches, including our church, New Covenant has done a lot of work to empower young people. I have supported organizations like Children's Policy and Law Initiative, Evolve with Pastor Denell Howard. Three of my children are alumni of The Center for Leadership Development, which was led in the beginning by the late Henry Bundles, Jr. and currently by Dennis E. Bland, esq..

All these are not simply programs. These are paths.

Let me say this, a party is also a path. Simply “hanging out” is a path. Too many young people have lost their lives while attending a party or hanging around. No one intended to go to a party and get shot or die from gun violence. Not all parties end in violence, but youth need to consider their path.

This problem of gun violence is persistent and there's not one solution. But let me offer this one insight to parents, youth, and anyone listening:

It is always your direction that ultimately determines your destination.—it is not your intentions, not your hopes, not your dreams, not your prayers, not your beliefs.

Every path leads somewhere. Your path determines your destination.

Proverbs 4:26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.

Summary of Message:

“God’s People in the City” by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

This message focuses on God's call for His people to commit to long-term ministry and outreach, especially in the urban context, under the theme “Each One, Reach One.” Drawing from Acts 18, Pastor Hudson reflects on Paul’s ministry in Corinth, emphasizing that God told Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid... for I have many people in this city.” This refers not only to current believers but to those who would be saved.

Key scripture Text:

Acts18:9, Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Key Themes:1. God Knows Who Will Be Saved—We Don't

* God, in His foreknowledge, knows those who will respond to the gospel.
* Our responsibility is to share the message with everyone—we are not told who will or won’t respond.
* Romans 8:29–30 outlines the process: foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified.

The Power and Necessity of the Gospel
- Romans 1:16: “The gospel is the power of God to salvation.”
- Programs and outreach are good, but they must be vehicles for presenting the gospel.
- The Concept of “Locus” as Ministry Focus
- "Locus" means the central area of activity.
- Paul’s “locus” was preaching and teaching where God sent him, even staying for long periods to build impact.
- We each must identify our personal ministry locus and stay committed.
- Faithful Commitment Bears Fruit
- Ministry impact takes time, consistency, and sometimes suffering.
- Like Paul, we may face opposition, but God can shift us to nearby, fruitful places (e.g., Paul moved next door when rejected at the synagogue).
- Being planted and focused leads to long-term results.
- Salvation Process is God’s Work—but Requires Our Obedience
- God does the calling, justifying, and glorifying.
- Our job is to preach, share, and position ourselves so others can hear and respond.
- Don’t Be Distracted or Discouraged
- Ministry requires resilience. Not everyone will receive the message.
- Even if we don’t see results, we may be sowing seeds others will water.
- Christ Is Our Everything
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 says Christ becomes our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
- No one can boast—salvation is fully God’s work.

Final Challenge: Recognize that God has people in your* city who haven’t heard yet. * Be intentional about your focus and committed to your calling. * Share the gospel faithfully—through outreach, in relationships, and wherever God places you.

Conclusion:
The city is full of potential believers waiting to hear. Our role is not to figure out who they are, but to be faithful in sharing, knowing that God will do the work of salvation. As Pastor Hudson put it: “Get a real locus—something you can take to heaven with you.”

Summary of Message: “God’s People in the City” by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

This message focuses on God's call for His people to commit to long-term ministry and outreach, especially in the urban context, under the theme “Each One, Reach One.” Drawing from Acts 18, Pastor Hudson reflects on Paul’s ministry in Corinth, emphasizing that God told Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid... for I have many people in this city.” This refers not only to current believers but to those who would be saved.

Key Scripture Text: Acts18:9, Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” 11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Key Themes:1. God Knows Who Will Be Saved—We Don't

* God, in His foreknowledge, knows those who will respond to the gospel.
* Our responsibility is to share the message with everyone—we are not told who will or won’t respond.
* Romans 8:29–30 outlines the process: foreknown, predestined, called, justified, glorified.

The Power and Necessity of the Gospel
- Romans 1:16: “The gospel is the power of God to salvation.”
- Programs and outreach are good, but they must be vehicles for presenting the gospel.
- The Concept of “Locus” as Ministry Focus
- "Locus" means the central area of activity.
- Paul’s “locus” was preaching and teaching where God sent him, even staying for long periods to build impact.
- We each must identify our personal ministry locus and stay committed.
- Faithful Commitment Bears Fruit
- Ministry impact takes time, consistency, and sometimes suffering.
- Like Paul, we may face opposition, but God can shift us to nearby, fruitful places (e.g., Paul moved next door when rejected at the synagogue).
- Being planted and focused leads to long-term results.
- Salvation Process is God’s Work—but Requires Our Obedience
- God does the calling, justifying, and glorifying.
- Our job is to preach, share, and position ourselves so others can hear and respond.
- Don’t Be Distracted or Discouraged
- Ministry requires resilience. Not everyone will receive the message.
- Even if we don’t see results, we may be sowing seeds others will water.
- Christ Is Our Everything
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 says Christ becomes our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
- No one can boast—salvation is fully God’s work.

Final Challenge: Recognize that God has people in your* city who haven’t heard yet. * Be intentional about your focus and committed to your calling. * Share the gospel faithfully—through outreach, in relationships, and wherever God places you.

Conclusion:
The city is full of potential believers waiting to hear. Our role is not to figure out who they are, but to be faithful in sharing, knowing that God will do the work of salvation. As Pastor Hudson put it: “Get a real locus—something you can take to heaven with you.”

Listen to the Message from Sunday, May 14, 2025"The Song of Mary: What is Your Song?" Revelation 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Summary of the Message: “The Song of Mary: What is Your Song?”
By Pastor Bryan Hudson, DMin. (Generated by OpenAI)

Download Worksheet: “Developing Your Song”

What is this kind of “song?”It is a testimonial, a joyful and faith-filled declaration of God’s mercy, faithfulness and power in fulfilling His purpose through chosen vessels.

Luke 1:46, And Mary said:“My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. 50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

Pastor Bryan Hudson explores Mary’s Song, also known as The Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55), as both a biblical testimony and a model for personal reflection. Mary’s declaration of praise to God was not merely a song in the musical sense but a profound testimony of God's mercy, power, and covenant faithfulness.

Key Themes of the Message:

Your Song is Your Testimony:
Like Mary, every believer has a “song”—a personal testimony of God’s work in their life. This song is meant to glorify God and bless future generations, not just recount personal experiences.
Five Elements of Mary’s Song:
- Rejoicing – Worship and joy in God (v. 46-47)
- Regarding – Humility in recognizing God’s favor (v. 48)
- Reflecting – Acknowledging God’s legacy and mercy through generations (v. 49-50)
- Revealing – Understanding divine purpose and justice (v. 51-53)
- Recognition – Remembering God’s covenant and faithfulness (v. 54-55)
- Application to Our Lives:
- Believers are encouraged to reflect on their own song using these five elements.
- Worship is more than singing; it is how we live and respond to God.
- Testimonies should include humility, legacy, purpose, and an awareness of covenant relationship with God.
- Mary's experience is uniquely maternal, highlighting the vital role of mothers in God’s redemptive plan.
- Broader Biblical Context:
  Dr. Hudson compares Mary’s song to other biblical songs—such as those of Moses, Miriam, Deborah, David, and the redeemed in Revelation—to show that songs often arise from deliverance and divine encounter.
- Call to Honor Mothers and Recognize Their Role:
- The message honors the spiritual and physical significance of mothers, encouraging all to show gratitude while mothers are still present.
- Birth, both physical and spiritual, is tied to God's greater plan and purpose.

Final Charge:
Dr. Hudson encourages listeners to reflect, write, and live out their own song, as a testimony of God’s mercy and purpose in their lives. Mary’s song, born of deep spiritual insight and humility, is a pattern for how believers today can shape their impact on the world and future generations.

Proverbs 3:5-10 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

The 3Ds of Leadership & Indispensable Ministry Values

Instructor: Dr. Jerry M. Williams
Audience: Ministers and Leaders
Host: New Covenant Church

I. Opening Remarks

Greetings and opening inspiration
- “This is the day the Lord has made…”
- Yesterday = History; Today = Reality; Tomorrow = Destiny
Personal reflection and honor for Dr. Bryan Hudson
42 years of friendship and ministry partnership

II. Reflection: Four Lessons in Power and Purpose (Shared by Dr. Williams’ Son)

Adam – Passive man who lost paradise
Lesson: Passivity costs purpose
Power Principle: Don’t outsource decisions to avoid conflict
Samson – Strong man who gave up his edge
Lesson: Don’t trade your mission for momentary comfort
Power Principle: Guard your source; protect your vulnerability
Job – The unshaken man under fire
Lesson: Don’t take advice from quitters
Power Principle: Discipline speaks louder than desperation
Lot – Man who moved forward without looking back
Lesson: You can’t lead people emotionally tied to the past
Power Principle: Don’t negotiate divine direction—execute it

III. The 3 D’s of Local Church Leadership

Based on Romans 12:1–2

Living as a sacrifice = reasonable service
Leadership must be demonstrated, not just titled
Dedication
Definition: Self-sacrificing devotion and loyalty
Jesus as the model: Isaiah 53:5, Hebrews 12:2
Practical example: Leaders arrive early, not “on time”
Diligence
Definition: Steady, earnest, energetic effort
Proverbs 27:23 – Know your flock
Proverbs 12:24 – Hard work leads to leadership
Discipline
Definition: Orderly conduct and self-control
Includes:
- Regular attendance & punctuality
- Positive example & submission to authority
- Lifestyle evangelism

IV. Vision Ownership Process

4 Steps to Vision Implementation:

Assimilation – Understand the vision
Integration – Make it part of you
Articulation – Speak it consistently
Demonstration – Live it in action

V. CSI³ Evangelism Model

Caring, Sharing, and Involving:

Caring enough to…
Share enough to…
Invite, Introduce, or Instruct at least three people
Based on Romans Road (Rom 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9–10)
Focus on lifestyle evangelism rather than event-driven outreach

VI. Indispensable Values of Ministry (8 Values)

Faith
Commitment
Obedience
Integrity
Excellence
Responsibility
Accountability
Confidentiality

VII. Seven Attributes of Poor Ministry Values (Who Not to Be)

Inconsistent
Slothful
Unaccountable
Irresponsible
Uncommunicative
Unteachable
Unorganized

VIII. Five Leadership Styles

Bureaucratic – Rule-bound
Autocratic – Dictatorial
Laissez-faire – Hands-off
Permissive – Tolerant of all
Participative – Engaged and consultative (ideal model)

IX. Best Fit Leadership Model

Can Do – Based on skills & training
Will Do – Based on desire & passion
How Fit – Based on personality, values, and spiritual gifts
Intersection = Best Fit

X. Leadership Readiness Pre-Flight Checklist

(Must answer “yes” to all to serve in leadership)

Born again
Spirit-filled
Regular prayer/devotion life
Priorities in order
Consistent worship attendance
Consistent midweek attendance
Punctual to meetings
Faithful tither
Serving in ministry/helps
Household in scriptural order
Free from addictions

XI. Closing Charge

“Coming together is a beginning; staying together is progress; working together is success.”
Stay the course with dedication, diligence, discipline, and faithfulness

BIBLE STUDY NOTES AND RESOURCES

Summary: "You Are the Salt of the Earth: What is the Salt of the Covenant?" –

Bible Study by Dr. Bryan Hudson

This Bible study explores Jesus’ declaration, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13) and examines the deeper meaning behind the "salt of the covenant" referenced in Leviticus 2:13. Dr. Hudson explains that salt symbolizes influence, which is central to the believer's purpose and identity. Just as salt preserves, purifies, and adds flavor, Christians are called to influence the world through godly living and covenant relationship with God.

Key themes include:

Influence as the essence of salt: Salt’s historic uses (purification, preservation, healing, and value) all reflect its power to influence, just as believers are called to influence the world through God’s presence in them.
Covenant relationship: The “salt of the covenant” represents a perpetual, faithful relationship with God, marked by commitment and consistency, not just temporary benefit.
Spiritual formation through SHAPE: Using Rick Warren’s acronym (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences), Dr. Hudson explains how God shapes believers through trials (fire) and divine influence (salt).
Seasoned by fire: Trials refine faith like fire purifies gold or forms stainless steel—painful but purposeful, producing strength and Christlikeness.
New Testament application: Jesus shifts the salt metaphor from ritual to spiritual reality—"have salt in yourselves and peace with one another" (Mark 9:50)—emphasizing inner transformation that leads to external impact.
Living as influencers: Believers must first be influenced by God to influence others effectively. A lack of God's influence leads to a loss of “saltiness” or spiritual vitality.
Practical outcome: A life seasoned by God results in peace, stronger relationships, and the ability to represent Christ as both salt and light in the world.

Ultimately, Dr. Hudson teaches that to be the salt of the earth is to live under God's influence, embody His covenant, and positively impact others with purity, purpose, and perseverance.

Listen to the Message from Sunday, April 27, 2025“You Are the Light of the World: Authority and Responsibility”Matthew 5:13, You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

You Are the Light of the WorldAuthority and ResponsibilityPastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.Matthew 5:13, You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Main Themes:1. Identity & Purpose Jesus said, “You are the light of the world” and “salt of the earth.”* * The church must understand its purpose not just as a community, but as a force for good in the world. * We're not called to shine in the church only, but in the world—where light is needed most.

The Lighthouse Analogy:* A lighthouse doesn’t remove the rocks or calm the sea, but it shines light to guide ships away from danger. * Similarly, believers are called to shine in dark places, helping others avoid destruction.

Challenges to Shining:* We cannot shine effectively if we are living in darkness ourselves. * God wants to make us blameless and harmless, as Philippians 2:15 says, so that we can shine in a crooked generation.

Real-Life Application:* Light = Good Works + Godly Living + Justice * Shining includes helping the weak, standing for justice, and living righteously, not just evangelizing. * Examples from scripture (Micah 6:8, Isaiah 1:17, Acts 20:35) support this.

Biblical Justice & DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion):* These values are biblical, not just political:

+ Diversity: Revelation 7:9
+ Equity: Proverbs 2:9, 2 Samuel 8:15
+ Inclusion: Nehemiah 8:10, Jeremiah 22:3

Believers must not remain silent when injustice occurs but shine the light of truth and compassion.

Authority of the Church:* Jesus gave spiritual authority to His church (Matthew 16:19). * We are to bind and loose in alignment with heaven, standing against darkness wherever God assigns us.

Who is the Church?* The church is not a building but people called by God (Ecclesia). * We are the church wherever we go and must reflect Christ in action and truth.

Conclusion:* Your light must shine where it is needed—in society, politics, schools, neighborhoods. * Don’t hide your light. Let others see your good works and glorify God.

“We all shine differently, but we are all called to shine.”

Listen to the Message From Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025"Resurrection Power: Jesus Changed Everything!"Romans 8:11, But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Sermon Summary by Dr. Bryan HudsonTitle: Resurrection Power: Jesus Changed Everything
Text: Philippians 3:9-11; Ephesians 1:19-20; Romans 8:11

🔹 Theme & PurposeThe message emphasizes that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the greatest paradigm shift in human history, changing not only our past but empowering our present and future. Resurrection power is not just a historical fact—it’s a living, present-day reality.

🔑 Key Points1. Resurrection Power is for Today The Apostle Paul wrote "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection" (Phil. 3:10). * Resurrection isn’t just an Easter story—it’s a daily source of spiritual strength, peace, and purpose. * The Amplified Bible explains this power as a "spiritual and moral resurrection"* that lifts us up even while in the body.

Paradigm Shift IllustratedDr. Hudson used powerful real-life metaphors to illustrate paradigm shifts:
Typewriters to Word Processors: Just as technology evolved, Jesus' resurrection initiated a shift from law to grace.
Robots in Manufacturing: Change can be disruptive but also redemptive—just like Jesus' victory over sin and death.
Medical Advancements: From polio to COVID vaccines, change preserves life. In Christ, resurrection power restores and renews our lives spiritually and physically.
Examples of Resurrection Power* Personal testimonies of healing, recovery, and restored lives (Father, Elder Owens, and Daughter) show how resurrection power is active today.
Resurrection power gives courage in suffering, peace in uncertainty, and strength to stand through trials.
Scriptural Anchors Ephesians 1:19-20*: God’s mighty power raised Jesus—and that same power works toward us who believe.
Romans 8:11: The Spirit that raised Jesus dwells in believers, giving life to mortal bodies.

🔄 Call to Action: L.G.S. – Look Up, Give Up, Stand Up1. Look Up – Recognize that Christ reversed the curse of sin (1 Cor. 15:21-22). 2. Give Up – Surrender fully to God; you can't take anything with you in death—give your life to Christ now. 3. Stand Up – Resurrection means to "cause to stand up" (Greek: anastasis). God gives us the power to rise, live, and thrive.

📣 Final ChallengeJesus rose—and you can rise too.
Say yes to the gospel: Jesus died for you, was buried, and rose again so you can live in His power.
Resurrection is not a story you just hear—it’s a power you must receive and live out.

1 Corinthians 15:21, For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”

Philippians 4:8-9 CEBFrom now on, brothers and sisters, if anything is excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true, all that is holy, all that is just, all that is pure, all that is lovely, and all that is worthy of praise. 9 Practice these things: whatever you learned, received, heard, or saw in us. The God of peace will be with you. SUMMARY Dr. Bryan Hudson's talk for January 1, "A Resolution for 2025," encourages people to set resolutions that align with God's will, rather than relying on their own strength. He highlights a study showing that most New Year's resolutions fail by the second week of January, mainly because they are made in human strength. Hudson stresses the importance of resolutions rooted in God's power, which brings grace, motivation, and strength. He focuses on Philippians 4:8-9, urging individuals to focus on things that are excellent, admirable, true, holy, just, pure, lovely, and worthy of praise.

Hudson suggests that making decisions based on these virtues will lead to better outcomes. He encourages practicing solitude and prayer for personal growth and reflection. The sermon also emphasizes the importance of exemplars—role models who demonstrate the qualities to aim for. Hudson shares practical advice like "habit stacking," which involves building small, consistent habits to create lasting change.

Ultimately, Hudson calls for a resolution to rely on God's wisdom and strength, rather than one's own, and to focus on what is excellent and admirable. He encourages everyone to lean into God's guidance for personal and spiritual growth in the coming year.

Luke 2:10-11, Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

WATCH: 2024 Community Christmas Outreach Highlights

Christmas Message by Pastor Bryan Hudson:

“The Joy of New Life in Christ.”

Summary:

Dr. Bryan Hudson’s "Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute" reflects on the birth of Jesus, emphasizing the message of hope and joy found in Luke 2:10-11. He highlights the angel's proclamation of "good tidings of great joy" and reminds listeners that Jesus was born for each person, regardless of their circumstances—whether surrounded by family, alone, or experiencing loss. He encourages focusing on God’s presence during the Christmas season.

Dr. Hudson also shares updates on his church’s community outreach, including deliveries of food and gifts to families in their homes, donations and ministry to various groups such as homeless teens, incarcerated individuals, and those in need. He concludes by celebrating Jesus as the reason for the season, urging listeners to let Christ fulfill His purpose in their lives.

Merry Christmas and encouragement are central to his message.

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Luke 2:8
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a [d]manger.”13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

SUMMARY

The message, The Joy of Christ in Christmas by Pastor Bryan Hudson, emphasizes the profound joy brought by the birth of Jesus Christ. Drawing from Luke 2:10 and other scriptures, Pastor Hudson highlights the contrast between busy Bethlehem and the serene shepherds’ field, where the angelic announcement of "good tidings of great joy" was made.

Jesus’ humble birth in a manger symbolizes His identification with everyday people and His purpose as a Savior for all. The wise men’s gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—prophetically speak to Jesus’ royalty, deity, and sacrificial death.

The message celebrates Christ as the ultimate gift, offering new life and joy that transcends life’s challenges. By embracing this gift, believers can rise above circumstances, share His joy through giving, and live a life of praise and gratitude. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to reflect the spirit of Christ’s love and joy in their daily lives.

Luke 2:8, Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And [c]behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

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Summary of Pastor Bryan Hudson's Sermon:“Love & Serve: A Year of God's Favor” Pastor Bryan Hudson emphasizes that 2024 has been a year for highlighting the enduring nature of God’s promises and the importance of embracing His favor both spiritual and natural. The sermon focuses on the New Covenant Church mission of Loving God, Loving People, Serving the Word, which is foundational to the Christian walk. Dr. Hudson calls on believers to express their faith through acts of service, motivated by God’s love for humanity and our love for one another.

Key Themes:

God’s Favor:

◦ • God's favor manifests in both natural and supernatural ways.

◦ • Favor involves God's provision, protection, and influence over circumstances and people.

◦ • Believers are encouraged to align with God's work rather than waiting passively.

Foundations of Faith:

◦ • The foundation of a believer's life is God’s love for us and our reciprocal love for others.

◦ • Living out this love requires simplicity and focus.

Freedom in Christ:

◦ • Using Christian liberty to serve others, not for selfish gain, reflects God’s love.

◦ • Service includes helping those in need, visiting homes, and sharing blessings selflessly.

Godly Motivation:

◦ • True motivation stems from love—God's love for us and our love for others.

◦ • Other motivations (e.g., external rewards, self-image, or control) often fall short and can lead to selfishness or harm.

The Mission of Christ:

◦• Jesus came to proclaim freedom for captives, give sight to the blind, and declare God’s favor.
◦ • His mission inspires believers to bring hope and practical aid to those in need.

Love and Service:

◦God's love is universal, sacrificial, and giving, unlike the world's love, which is often narrow and self-serving.◦ The church’s mission—"Loving God, Loving People, Serving the World"— encourages believers to reflect Christ’s example in their daily lives.
Practical Application:

• Loving God: Through prayer, worship, study, and quiet reflection.

• Loving People: By sharing the gospel, making disciples, and meeting people where they are.

• Serving the World: Demonstrating love through actions, often without words, to reflect Christ’s character.

Closing Reflections:

Dr. Hudson concludes by acknowledging the legacy of love passed down from previous generations and encouraging believers to follow their example. He challenges the congregation to embody God’s love and favor as they approach a new year, ensuring their lives reflect the vision of love and service.The message closes with a prayer of thanksgiving, celebrating the work of God

throughout the year and looking forward to continued blessings and opportunities for

service

"Love & Serve" - Firm Foundation inspiration Minute #148 for December 11, 2024

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favoand the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—o bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, December 1, 2024Giving Thanks: Not Only a Day - A Foundation 1 Thessalonians 5:18, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

Leviticus 7:11 ‘This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which he shall (or “may offer”) offer to the Lord: 12 If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers anointed with oil, or cakes of blended flour mixed with oil.

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Sermon Summary:

“Giving Thanks—Not Only a Day, A Foundation”

Dr. Bryan Hudson emphasizes that Thanksgiving should be more than a holiday—it’s a foundational lifestyle of gratitude. Drawing from scripture, he explores how giving thanks transcends circumstances, reflecting a heart rooted in peace and faith.

Key Scriptures: Colossians 1:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Leviticus 7:11-15

Thanksgiving as a Foundation:

• Thanksgiving is not tied to obligation but arises spontaneously from a grateful heart.

• True praise and offerings—whether financial, time, or acts of kindness—should be willing and joyful, not out of duty or legalism.

Peace Offerings and Sacrificial Praise:

• Peace offerings, as distinct from many other types of offerings, express worship unconnected to sin or obligation.

• In the New Testament, Jesus becomes our peace offering, bridging divisions and enabling us to live in grace and freedom.

Practical Application:

• Cultivate gratitude: Acknowledge blessings—both asked for and unexpected—and express thanks through words, actions, and offerings.

• Develop a lifestyle of praise and worship, independent of external circumstances.

• Avoid callousness and indifference by maintaining a spirit of thankfulness toward God and others.

Key Takeaways:

• Thanksgiving fosters peace, and peace inspires thanksgiving, creating a positive spiritual cycle.

• Gratitude keeps believers in God’s presence (Coram Deo), fostering perpetual joy and strength beyond circumstances.

Dr. Hudson concludes with encouragement to embrace thanksgiving as a daily, spontaneous expression of worship and gratitude, rooted in God’s peace and goodness.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, November 24, 2024"The Power of Today" Part Three: "The Ministry of Presence"

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Summary: "The Ministry of Presence" (Summary by OpenAI)
Summary: "The Ministry of Presence" (Summary by OpenAI)

Pastor Bryan Hudson's message, "The Ministry of Presence" from part three of the series "The Power of Today," focuses on the importance of simply being present with others in their times of need. Drawing from scriptures like Colossians 3:15 and Proverbs 17:17, the sermon explores how the peace of God and the act of presence bring comfort, connection, and healing.
Key takeaways include:

Definition of the Ministry of Presence: It involves offering support through physical, emotional, and spiritual presence, rather than relying solely on words or actions.
Attributes of Presence: Active listening, nonverbal support, empathy, availability, and avoiding cliches or platitudes are essential for effective presence.
The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the "master of the ministry of presence," guiding believers in being present with others and sharing God's peace.
Job's Friends as an Example: Initially practicing the ministry of presence by sitting silently with Job, his friends later faltered due to fragility and discomfort, showing the importance of being prepared to support others.
Overcoming Comfort Zones: Leaving comfort zones enables growth, service, and alignment with God's purpose, exemplified by figures like Abraham and Jesus, who stepped out of comfort for a greater mission.
Adversity and Presence: True friends provide presence and support during adversity, as illustrated by a story where a friend jumps into a hole to guide another out.

The sermon concludes with an exhortation to embrace the ministry of presence, trust God's guidance, and develop the capacity to support others, reflecting Christ's love in action.

Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, November 10, 2024"The Power of Today" Part Two: "Peace That Governs Your Heart" Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Peace is a state where one is in right relationship with God.
Peace is a mental/emotional state where there is an absence of conflict and freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts. We call this “peace of mind.”

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful

“Let peace RULE…”
To be an umpire
To decide, determine, arbitrate

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Colossians 3:15, And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

“Let peace rule…”

To be an umpire; To decide, determine, arbitrate

Place peace in a position to determine how to handle every situation

Don’t decide based on the problem. Decide based on creating or sustaining peace

John 14:25-28, These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Psalm 37:1, Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.

Two Kinds of Peace

Peace is a state where one is in right relationship with God.
Peace is a mental/emotional state where there is an absence of conflict and freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts. We call this “peace of mind.”

Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heartsand minds through Christ Jesus.

Peace is beyond your comprehension
Peace will guard your hearts and minds, like sentinel

John 14:25-28, These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Podcast: “Understanding Justice and Governing Authorities”

This is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Generated “Discussion”

Based on Chapter Five of Biblical & Social Justice: What Is It? by Bryan Hudson

This AI generated conversation is based on my article, “The Effect of Liars & The Triumph of Truth”

Published on September 16, 2024 at www.BryanHudson.com

KEYNOTE SLIDES

2 Corinthians 4:16, Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

Power of Today KEY POINT: Today is when life begins anew!

“Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor. 4:16)

Power of Today KEY POINT: You have a lot to do with giving power to others.

Hebrews 3:13, But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Power of Today KEY POINT: There two forces await you everyday

Troubled Streams (Perishing)
Streams That Make Glad (Renewing)

Psalms 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

Hebrews 3:13, But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,”
2 Corinthians 4:16, Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

"It's better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret." - Jackie Joyner-Kersee

"You may delay, but time will not." - Benjamin Franklin

"The secret to getting ahead is getting started" - Mark Twain

"If it's a good idea, do it today. Not tomorrow. A good idea rarely gets better over time." – Larry Winget

A Place Called Forward

Exodus 14:13, And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14]The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." 15] And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16] But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

Forward defined: To cause to proceed or progress toward a goal. To cause to go or be taken from one place, person, or condition to another.

Forward is a place to which God leads people of purpose and destiny. Forward is a place that stretches your faith and exercises your prayer life. Forward is the place and the direction the vision takes you.

Israel was in a crisis. It was a crisis on different levels:
1. There was the original crisis of being held in bondage
2. Was the crisis of being delivered from bondage
3. There was the crisis of having a bondage mindset, after being delivered
4. There was the crisis of being pursued by the Egyptian's from behind and facing the barrier of the Red Sea in front.

What I find amazing about this story, is that God knew what the people did not know. They were not only being delivered from the crisis of bondage and slavery, they were being delivered from their own fear of progress. It was the rebellion of the people that led to captivity in Egypt for 400 years. For the people being delivered, Egypt and bondage and slavery was all they knew. They only heard about their heritage and the promised land.

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Philippians 4:11-13, Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

Resource: A supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively.

Source: A point of origin or procurement; any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you

Listen to My Message From Sunday, October 13, 2024The Steward's Blessing: Wisdom, Provision, Empowerment

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Romans 14:12, So then each of us shall give account of himself to God

1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Paul used the word “steward” which is oikonomos (οἰκονόμος) in the Greek.

It was a word understood by people in his day. Oikonomos was the “major domo” or the person in charge of the administration of the house or estate.

Being a good steward brings and produces WISDOM, PROVISION & EMPOWERMENT

WISDOM: Knowing what to do

PROVISION: Fully supply from the owner

EMPOWERMENT: Able to empower others

Our Level of Stewardship is Evident

Proverbs 24:30-32

I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; 31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. 32 When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction:

1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

Psalm 37:25, I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread

Galatians 6:7, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap...9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Here is one of the not-so-secret secrets to tapping into God's best for your life:

Sow good seed, consistently
Don't grow weary doing the right things
Do good to all, especially fellow Christ followers.

Watch the New Covenant Church 42nd Anniversary highlight video:

What to do when facing an obstacle...
“For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed." (Isaiah 50:7)
"Face like flint" means: You expect that something will be hard. But you are determined to be harder. Listen to My Message From Sunday, September 22, 2024Season of Sharpening: Getting Your Edge Back On

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1 Peter 4:10-11, As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen

Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NKJV) “If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom produces success."

(NLT) ”Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed"
Why do I feel tired?
Remember Your GIFT, GRACE, & ABILITY

1 Peter 4:10-11, As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen Here’s where you start:
”Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the saw." ~ Attributed to Abraham Lincoln
KEY WORDS

Ax (Saw) – The instrument of service; our lifestyle

Edge – The cutting edge; the action edge; What we actually do; our gifts and unique contribution to God’s purpose

Wisdom - Ability to make proper choices and reach proper conclusions and decisions; Shrewdly aware and subtly resourceful; Using the proper means and procedures in attaining an end; Knowing how to restore and maintain your edge.

Sharpen: Raising the level of your skill and effectiveness through RENEWAL

Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NJKV), If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom produces success.”

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“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.”(Proverbs 12:22, NIV)

This election cycle has highlighted something we see and hear so often that many have stopped being outraged about it. That “something” is lying. In the world of politics and the larger society, the response to egregious acts by one or by the few is often, “Well, everyone does it.“

When I was a child—and perhaps you had the same experience— trying to downplay some lie or bad deed by attempting to deflect and bring others in the wrong. “Johnny did it too!” was met with a swift and strong rebuke from my mother, “I am talking to YOU!”

This is Called “Moral Equivalence”

Moral equivalence is the concept or rhetorical device that suggests two actions or behaviors, which may differ in degree or context, are equally morally wrong or right. It is often used in debates or discussions to compare actions by arguing that one is no worse or better than the other, even if the situations or outcomes differ significantly. (OpenAI 2024)

Interestingly, this childhood ploy is still being used by adults. As an example and learning moment for this issue, I give you Donald J. Trump. To the fact that this man is a liar cannot be disputed. The phenomenon of the abundance of his lies have normalized the behavior for many. It’s become like the scar that looses sensation. It’s like all the junk in a room that is no longer noticed. It is the thing that no longer produces outrage as it once did.

Moral equivalence is among the weakest of all arguments and responses. In essence, this is not much different than the events that took place in August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, during the “Unite the Right” rally. It was a gathering of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and far-right groups protesting the planned removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Hundreds of white supremacists marched through the University of Virginia’s campus carrying torches and chanting racist and anti-Semitic slogans such as “Jews will not replace us” and “White lives matter.” They clashed with counter-protesters, leading to several injuries and the death of Heather Heyer who was hit by a car.

To this racist gathering, then President Donald Trump stated, “There are good people on both sides.”

The worst response is making peace with lies and attempts at moral equivalence by accepting and accommodating abhorrent behavior. Some may think, “That’s just the way it is.”

If that was the attitude of our African American ancestors, we would still be segregated, unable to vote, locked out of opportunity, uneducated, giving deference to White supremacists, and much more. If there is any group of people who will not settle for an evil or ungodly status quo, it is Black people.

It has often been said that African-Americans are the moral conscience to our nation. The survival and flourishing of African Americans, despite centuries of oppression, symbolize resilience, hope, and the enduring belief in the possibility of change. Their continued pursuit of justice often forces the broader society to reflect on its moral compass and reconsider what it means to be an ethical nation. African Americans have played a pivotal role in calling the U.S. to a higher moral standard, reminding the country that its true greatness lies in achieving justice and equality for all its citizens. By continually exposing the disconnect between American ideals and realities, African Americans have often acted as the moral conscience, pushing the nation toward a more just and inclusive future. (OpenAI 2024)

So it is interesting, that this election cycle features the most egregious liar among national politicians we have witnessed in our lifetime seeking to re-occupy the highest office in our nation, former President Trump (DJT). It is fitting that he would be held to account by a Black woman, Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the Democratic nominee for President of the United States after the courageous act of President Joe Biden stepping aside. It is also ironic that DJT may be defeated by a woman and Black person, representing individuals who have been disparaged by him for decades.

History may show that the presidential debate of September 10, 2024 was a vital component in the undoing of DJT and the MAGA movement. Kamala Harris’s rhetorical domination of Trump triggered outrageous and unguarded responses from him. People who are deceitful and lie depend on obfuscation and systems of concealment to hide their true nature and deeds. What 67 million people saw on that evening cannot be unseen. It will forever live on YouTube and the transcript will always provide documentation. It has become the receipt of an event that can never be denied.

During the civil rights movement, one of the strategies was to expose the racism of people in the South who opposed the dignity and constitutional rights of Black people. This was the purpose of bus boycotts, freedom rides, marches, and other actions to attract the attention of local people and the entire nation. People who lie and deceive depend on cultivating false narratives, controlling media reports, and systems that downplay the blatant evil of their ways.

The Decline of White Evangelical Credibility

One of the most disappointing outcomes of the phenomenon of DJT is the strong support by white evangelical Christians. 80% supported his presidential election in 2016. Even after his disastrous term and Office, they supported him again at 80% in 2000. In 2024, his support among white evangelicals hovers at 80%. Through his entire presence on the political scene, going back to the days when Barack Obama ran for president, DJT engaged in lies and misrepresentations. This included the “birther” conspiracy that falsely alleged that Barack Obama was not born in the USA. For his campaign, Trump declared that he would be “self funding” his campaign––he didn’t. For nine years he has been promising to replace the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) with a “better” plan. When pressed on September 10 at the debate about his health plan, he said, “I have concepts of a plan.” Another lie.

A compilation of DJT lies on Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_or_misleading_statements_by_Donald_Trump

One of the most important virtues of the Christian church should be allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ and to the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth. This truth does not only refer to Scriptural truth, but I believe it also necessitates acceptance of objective truth, such as facts in life and in science. Not the least of these imperatives is the mandate to live the truth.

One of the unhealthy effects of compromising truth or remaining inactive and silent when action and speaking out are needed is settling into something referred to as “lie fatigue” or “deception fatigue.”

It is a condition of becoming desensitized to people who constantly lie. Over time, when someone is exposed to frequent dishonesty, they may become emotionally numb or indifferent to the lies. This can lead to a lack of trust and lowered expectations. It may also cause someone to stop reacting or caring about the lies altogether. It is my point of view that this has become the state of people devoted to DJT, in what has been characterized as a cultish relationship: believing the leader, no matter what he says, or does, justifying lies, dismissing wrongdoing, and chastising others for disagreeing.

Psychologically, this desensitization can be a defense mechanism, where individuals protect themselves from the emotional stress and frustration of repeatedly encountering lies. In some cases, it may be part of broader emotional burnout, where a person becomes numb not only to lying but to other forms of emotional manipulation or stress. (OpenAI 2024)

Below are some of the well-known dynamics between cult leaders, and followers. I don’t presume to assign these behaviors to all followers of DJT. Again, the dynamics of this election cycle are teaching moments that can be applied to other contexts.

Us vs. Them Mentality: Cults often cultivate a mentality where the group is seen as superior, and outsiders are considered enemies or threats.

Religious or Spiritual Manipulation

False Prophecies or Doomsday Scenarios: Cult leaders may use religious or spiritual manipulation, claiming divine authority or predicting apocalyptic events to control members through fear.

Promises of Salvation: Cults often promise special knowledge, enlightenment, or salvation that can only be attained through loyalty to the group, making members feel they must stay to secure their spiritual future. (OpenAI 2024)

Christians who strongly support Donald Trump or believe the Republican party is the only one that is approved by God are forced to compromise their faith to accommodate his behavior. This leads to something called Cognitive Dissonance.”

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological concept that refers to the mental discomfort or tension a person feels when they hold two or more contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously. This discomfort often leads to an internal motivation to reduce the dissonance, either by changing one of the conflicting beliefs, acquiring new information, or minimizing the importance of the conflict. (OpenAI 2024)

Holding contradictory beliefs or performing actions that are inconsistent with their personal values, leads to cognitive dissonance. Persons may rationalize the harmful behaviors and lies such as from DJT as necessary for the “greater good.” Seeking to reduce the dissonance, values are compromised, faith in Jesus Christ is undermined, and allegiance to truth is replaced by allegiance to a man.

Christians should appreciate our distinct role as citizens in which voting is not a spiritual act. It is a civil act that deserves a rational and objective assessment of candidates regarding their core competence. Single issue voting contributes to manipulation on the part of candidates who would use Christianity for self-serving purposes. The most common example is a candidate saying he is “pro-life,” but shows no actual care for unborn or born lives.

The "Big Lie"

Our modern lexicon now includes the words, "The Big Lie" which we all know refers to DJT's denial of the outcome of the 2000 election which he lost. At the heart of this lie was the rejection of our Democratic system of excepting defeat, gracefully conceding, and supporting the peaceful transfer of power. As we all know, in defying our democratic system, he sought to overturn a free and fair election by inciting an insurrection on January 6, 2021 that resulted in the injury in death of some capital police officers.

Another "Big Lie"

Lies about immigrants fomented by DJT accuse them of "poisoning the blood of our nation," which is a white supremacist mindset. This conspiracy contributed to his nonsensical accusation of Haitians in Ohio abducting and eating resident's pets. This insanity spoken to an audience of 67 million people during the debate should overshadow any other thing he says until the election on November 5. His lies have endangered the lives of Haitian (Black) people and put families and children at risk.

The biblical practice of assigning spiritual value to political figures and to voting has contributed to the confusion and enabling of a man, Donald Trump, who exhibits no Christian fruit. In reality, if we wanted to make a spiritual assessment of the man, many Scriptures would offer perspective, including Proverbs 6:12 NLT:“What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars."
“Sometimes people don’t want to hear the truth because they don’t want their illusions destroyed.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Rev. Bryan Hudson, D.Min.
September 15, 2024 ____________________________________________ Related Post:"Democracy In Peril: Dishonest Scales & White Privilege – Thoughts From the Presidential Debate of September 10, 2024"

Listen to My Message From Sunday, September 8, 2024Mercy: The Gift Before & After Faith Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

There are not many things better in life than peace. There are a couple of important ways to understanding peace as it relates to God and your spiritual life:

1) Peace is a state where one is in right relationship with God.
2) Peace is a mental/emotional state where there is an absence of conflict and freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts. We call this “peace of mind.”

In this text, the Apostle Paul primarily refers to the first type of peace––with God. It is good to have peace of mind, but a right relationship with God is most helpful. As a benefit of this relationship, there is the promise that the peace of God will “Guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

There is something mysterious about possessing the peace of God: It is difficult to describe. Paul said, peace “surpasses all understanding.” It is both tangible (real to your senses), and intangible (beyond your senses).

Ways to get into the peace of God (which leads to peace of mind) include:• Prayer
• Worship and singing on your own (doesn't matter how it sounds!)
• Reading Scripture
• Thinking on good things and crowding out bad thoughts (Read Philippians 4:8)
• Reading other inspirational and educational materials
• Walking and looking at nature (God's creation)
• What can you think of?

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Lamentations 3:22-24, Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him.”

Would like to help us appreciate the power of mercy and appreciate what mercy is and what it is not.

Mercy is a great gift and provision from God.

Mercy is the gift before and after faith.

Mercy is also a mystery because we don’t understanding exactly when, how, where is works.

God’s mercy endures forever, but it should not be taken for granted.

Like all gifts, mercy should be valued and appreciated.

Lamentations 3:22-24, Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great isYour faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him

Jeremiah 32:26, Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

Listen to My Message From Sunday, August 25, 2024What Is A Friend?

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Proverbs 17:17, A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Quote from C. Raymond Beran

What is a friend? I will tell you.

Friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself. They ask you to put on nothing, only to be what you are. They do not want you to be better or worse. You do not have to be on your guard. You can say what you think, as long as it is genuinely you. Friends understand those contradictions I n your nature that lead others to misjudge you. With them you breathe freely.Y ou do not have to be careful. They understand. You can weep with them, sing with them, laugh with them, pray with them. Through it all--and underneath--they see, know, and love you. You can dare to be yourself.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, August 18, 2024The Work & the Lord of the WorkDelivered at Temple of Faith Church, Louisville, KY

"The Work & The Lord of The Work Message" by Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

Delivered at Temple of Faith Church, Louisville, KY

23rd Church Anniversary with Pastor Joel A. Bowman, Sr.

Psalm 145:5, "I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works."

There is something life-lifting in meditating on the works of God. We often marvel at the works of man, but nothing compares to the works of God.

David wrote in Psalm 19:1-3, The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard.

The heavens are the skies, both the daytime and night skies, going into space. The heavens declare God’s creative glory and his power to regulate all things. David said that day and night utter speech. It also reveals knowledge. God speaks to us through His creation and challenges us to expand our knowledge. Jesus used parables about nature to illuminate truth. Of course, I don’t suggest we worship nature or put nature on the level of God’s word and and person of Christ. I do suggest that you become more impressed with what God has done than what man is doing.

I challenge you to elevate your thinking and remove yourself from the petty and pointless things of this world that compete for your attention. As a matter of fact, when you meditate on the glorious splendor of God's majesty and on His wondrous works, you will experience a reset in your outlook and in your thinking. By looking at a big God, you will see yourself in proper perspective and realize your help and strength are available from Christ.

Psalms 19:12-14 concludes with these words of correction and reflection:
"Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

Listen to My Message From Sunday, August 4 2024The Word & the Lord of the WorkDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Revelation 3:7

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

Colossians 3:23-24 NKJV

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for[a]you serve the Lord Christ

There is the work of the Lord, and then there is the Lord of the work. The two do not necessarily go hand-in-hand.

Affirmation:The Work & the Lord of the Work

God has opened a door to me, not only to do His work, but to draw closer to the Lord of the work.
God has positioned me to serve His purpose using what I already have and will gain.
I serve people, but I work for God.
Jesus is Lord over me. Jesus is the Lord of my work.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, July 28 2024Change Your Mindset, Change Your LifeDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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1 Peter 1:13, The Amplified Bible

So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.

Main Point: Having a proper mindset results in joy, success, and fruitful living, not only for yourself, but for others

Peter is not talking about a garment. He is referring to our minds:

Deal with the loose ends that exist in our minds and emotions;
Correct those parts of our thinking that we know are wrong;
Grab hold of all those dangling areas in our thinking and put them out of the way
Renew your mind: Romans 12:2
Set your mind: Colossians 3:2
Focus your mind: Philippians 4:8
Use Your Faith: Hebrews 4:2

Winner’s Mindset Affirmations:

By the grace of God, I am what I am
I honor people at all levels of life
Winning with God is my priority
I give God the glory and I put in the work
Helping others helps me
I will not gain the world and lose my soul
I can do more than I've done before
I may be young or old, but do not underestimate me
I have the "rage to master” (perfecting skills)
I am not a quitter and I do not “half step”

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The Amplified Bible reads in 1 Peter 1:13,
So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed.

When we get news about an impending storm, we brace ourselves. We tighten up things that are loose and shelter things that are exposed.

This life presents many types of storms against our minds. So bracing up our minds makes as much sense as preparing for any storm.

NKJV reads 1 Peter 1:13, Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The revelation of Jesus is not only His second return. The revelation of Jesus is how you see Him in your heart and mind before you see Him with your eyes.

There is a condition called Aphantasia

Aphantasia is a very rare phenomenon in which people are unable to visualize. Imagine that it is a warm summer day and you are sitting at a beach or on the side of a swimming pool. Can you see that? People with aphantasia cannot visualize. This is a condition out of the control of people who have it.

But I would like to suggest that we can and must cultivate the ability to see Jesus of God's better purposes in all of our circumstances.

According to our text, bracing up your minds involves being sober, which means serious minded and morally alert. You also set your hope and expectations on the grace and divine favor of God.

Your biggest challenge is keeping your mind stayed on Him. This is part of what we call the masterpiece mindset.

You can do this, so do it! Amen!

“Pray at all times—on every occasion, in every season—in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).” Ephesians 6:18 Amplified (Also read Timothy 2:1-4)

The Apostle Paul exhorted the Ephesians believers to pray with “all prayers" or "all manner of prayer." Prayer is certainly not a technical issue, so we don't have to fret about how we pray, so long as we are earnestly praying to God.

That said, it is helpful to examine and practice all types prayers so that we may be more focused and motivated to pray. The scriptures show various types of prayers. Below is brief overview of common types of prayer.

Prayer of supplication. 1 Kings 8: 37-40, 54 - 55, Luke 11: 9 - 13, James 5: 17-18
Supplication is a specific request. Theses three scriptures show people were seeking (or asked to seek) for something specific. When you know what is needed, you can offer a prayer of supplication.
Prayer of intercession. Genesis 18: 22-33 (Abraham) 1 Kings 18: 41-46 (Elijah) 2 Kings 4: 32-36 (Elisha) Acts 12:1-18 (The early church)
To intercede means to plead or mediate on behalf of another person. Jesus intercedes for us (Hebrews 7: 25). The Holy Spirit prays for us and through us as we pray in the Spirit (Romans 8: 26 - 27).

When we pray earnestly for other people, we enter into the realm of intercession, in which we present people and their needs to God. There is also a dimension to intercession where we "stand in the gap" for people for special blessing or protection. (Eze. 22:30)

Prayer of faith. Mark 11:12-14, Mark 11:20-25, Luke 7: 1-10, James 5:13-18, Matthew 9:18-26
The prayer of faith is a supernaturally confident type of prayer, that is absent of doubt. The woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9) knew that touching Jesus would get her healed. Her faith gave her the strength to press through the crowd. Strong faith and boldness accompany the prayer of faith. This manner of faith releases special blessings and miracles.
Prayer of agreement. Genesis 11:1-9, Matthew 18: 19-20, Exodus 17: 8-13, Psalm 133: 1-3, Acts 4:23, Hebrews 10: 24-25
The prayer of agreement occurs when two or a few people come together (the fewer the better), in agreement with one another and with the Word of God on something God wants to do. The prayer of agreement is connected the authority of God has vested in His church. Prayers of agreement can multiply the effects of God blessings beyond what one can do by oneself.
Prayer of praise, worship and thanksgiving. Psalm 100, Acts 16:16-34, Psalm 149:4-9
Praise, worship and thanksgiving can be a form a prayer that brings us into the presence of God. When we praise and thank God, we are affirming our faith in Him. This pleases God and helps our faith. Praise and thanksgiving disarm two of the most deadly enemies to our Christian walk, doubt and fear. No wonder the scriptures call praise a two edged sword (Psalm 149: 4-9)
Prayer of Dedication. 1 Kings 8:62-64, Mark 14:36, Acts 7:59, 9:6, 13:3, 14:23
The prayer of dedication is used to consecrate or dedicate someone or something to God. In the Old Testament, priests, altars, and tabernacles were dedicated by prayer. In the New Testament, Jesus and others dedicated (or ordained) disciples, apostles, elders deacons to the work of God.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, July 7, 2024The Good Fight of FaithDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

1 Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses

Everything Is Filtered Through Your Mind

Walking by Faith is not a mental exercise, but our minds play a role in our faith walk.

In particular, we have to wrestle with our own thinking, imaginations, and reasonings as a relates to the Word of God.

What is Faith?

Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Moffatt’s Translation:

Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.”

New English Bible

“Faith gives substance to our hopes

1 Tim. 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses 2 Cor. 2:14, Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the fragrance of his knowledge by us in every place. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Sometimes you want to win because of who is watching. That is the value of living in the light and letting people see your good works. We don't fight the good fight of faith to win. We fight the good fight because we have already won. That's why is a GOOD fight! Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith

"Your Assignment to Guide Others” – Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute #124 for June 26, 2024

Does Prayer Change Things?

by Dr. Jerry M. Williams, Agape Word Fellowship, Raleigh, North Carolina

https://www.agapeword.net/

Today is the Juneteenth holiday. It is something that began as a black cultural holiday in Texas, and grew to become a national African-American cultural holiday, and became a national holiday on June 17, 2021.

A brief history of Juneteenth:

News of the Emancipation Proclamation was delivered to Galveston, Texas, by Union General Gordon Granger. He arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, and issued General Order No. 3, an executive order by President Abraham Lincoln. Juneteenth celebrates the day when enslaved people in Texas were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that went into effect on January 1, 1863. This was also the beginning of what we call “watch night,” during which enslaved people were waiting and praying for the start of the new year 1863 which would signal the beginning of their freedom.

Slave owners were not willing to release enslaved people because they were profiting off of their free labor. General order 3 was ignored and enslaved people were not informed, so the Union Army was dispatched to Texas to enforce the proclamation.

It is difficult for us today to imagine the relief of mind to have the curse and brutality of slavery lifted. The executive order needed the force of congressional action to enshrine that freedom into the constitution. This came with the adoption of the 13th amendment to the United States Constitution.

We should not underestimate the positive effect of that action on our African-American ancestors and for generations to follow. To this day, we should look upon that occasion as a lifting of a burden leading to a certain level of peace of mind.

Many of the spiritual blessings we receive come from actions taken in world systems and our personal lives. For example, becoming debt-free brings great relief and peace of mind. Getting our children through school and college is another example of peace of mind. Things that we pray for God to do, are sometimes manifested in our circumstances.

For a more complete understanding of Juneteenth and the history that preceded it, read this outstanding article by Dr. Jemar Tisby about the history of Juneteenth.

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1 Corinthians 16:13 (NASB), Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

NT Greek word for “act like men” means, “To be courageous, make a man of, or make brave, to show oneself a man, be brave”

How Do Men/Fathers Act?

You can only answer that question from two perspectives:

Jesus and God’s Word
Personal Experience

Listen to My Message From Sunday, June 9, 2024Next Level ThinkingDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES Special Edition of Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute: Talk #122

DAY #12: Be A Next Level Thinker

1 Cor. 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For "Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

The mind of Christ represents grace to share in the thoughts, plans and motives of God.

Paul identifies two kinds of people. Locate yourself:

There is the person who is pneumatikos. Pneuma is the word for Spirit. The person who is pneumatikos is sensitive to the Spirit and whose life is guided by the Spirit.
Pneuma is that which makes a man different from the rest of creation.

In 1 Cor. 2:14 Paul speaks of the man who is psuchikos. He lives as if there was nothing beyond physical life and there were no needs other than material needs, whose values are all physical and material. A man like that cannot understand spiritual things.

This is why the work of renewing the mind is so essential. We cannot have the mind of Christ apart from renewing our mind.

Jesus' Disciples only search their minds for the answer

Peter went into next level thinking

Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter had the Mind of Christ
16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

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Mark 12:30, And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31"And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.”

What does it means to love God with all your mind? The sense of this text is that Jesus is talking about loving God with your entire being. But it is interesting that he said we love God with our soul AND mind. Isn’t the mind part of the soul? Yes. But this word “mind” used here specifically speaks to thinking.

The NT Greek word is: διάνοια (dianoia)

The mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring, understanding

“A thinking over,” a way of thinking and feeling; thoughts, either good or bad

Jesus will take you into Next Level Thinking if you want to go

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Special Edition of Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute: Talk #121 Day #5 Firm Foundation Devotional Lesson: 1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV), Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (New International Version) Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. We find our minds in various states: We can be serious or silly. We can be insightful or shallow. We can feel overwhelmed or empowered. Life is a mixture of experiences. What people sometimes underestimate is their capacity to summon mental focus when needed. The ability to do that is necessary is often called “personal power.” There are times when we need to lean into focus and bring skills forward. The term “gird up loins” means two things: 1) It is procreative power. Humans have the ability to bring children into the world. 2) It is suggestive of the alertness necessary for sobriety and for setting one's hope. (Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) The word “sober" means serious minded. For tasks that involve fulfilling some purpose of God, we need to place our faith in the hope of God's promises. We come to a place of alertness and readiness through prayer. This is my experience in preparing posts for this devotional. During the writing of this post, I made a mistake and lost about half of what was written during a time of God's inspiration. After letting my mind go to a place of disgust with myself for making such a “amateur” mistake, I summoned the focus to rewrite. God's inspiration did not leave when the mistake was made! So, I had to “gird up the loins” of my mind, and get back to work! Use your personal power (the ability to do what is necessary) with the help of the Holy Spirit. Tap the wells of “living water” (the power of the Holy Spirit) within. Summon your creative energy through God's grace. Jesus made all of this available to us when He brought “Grace and Truth.” (John 1:17) REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What does it mean to “gird the loins of your mind?" 2. What does it look like when you summon your focus and tap the wells of Living Water? 3. Using these insights, in what areas do you need to use personal power to get something done? ACTION ITEMS (What I will do with what I have learned): ------------------------------------ Get Your Copy of the Book:“Winning the Battle for Your Mind” SUBSCRIBE to the Firm Foundation blog to receive weekly insight and encouragement to your email in box Visit and save this link to enjoy other Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute Talks.

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Ephesians 2:8

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Who Am I?

Having God’s perspective on your life is most important.

Society and popular culture what to fashion you into its image.

God says, “I created you in My image [Imago Dei] and likeness.” (Gen. 1:27)

You Are God’s Masterpiece!

A masterpiece is anyone’s best work.

A masterpiece does not happen by accident. It is not the result of something random. A masterpiece is the result of an inspired plan.

You Are God’s Best Work!

Your birth was the first miracle

Your re-birth is the greatest miracle

“….He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Eph. 2:10 NLT)

SPECIAL EDITION - Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute

June 21-Day Devotional Introduction, "Renewing the Mind."

INTRODUCTION & DAY 1 (June 1) - The Spirit of the Mind

Today’s Reading: Chapter One of “Winning the Battle for Your Mind”

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)

“Be renewed in the spirit of your mind...” (Ephesians 4:23)

For this devotional, we make a difference between “renewing the mind” and mental health.

I am a mental health advocate, along with many others. It is important to recognize that the brain is a physical organ that can experience conditions like other parts of our body. Because the brain controls our body and is the center of thoughts, emotions, and sensations such as pain, it is obviously a very complex organ. Certainly, God is a source of strength for all aspects of life. He has also provided medical and human resources to assist with physical challenges we face, including the brain.

The word “mind” carries a lot of meaning and significance. One of the worst things we can do is take a simplistic approach as it relates to the mind and the human brain.

The purpose of this devotional is to help participants appreciate the grace of God to help us understand the positive power of renewal for what Paul called. “the spirit of your mind.” The “spirit” of your mind relates to ones attitude, disposition, or spiritual perspective.

Many of the best answers in life come from gaining both spiritual and natural understanding leading to applying principles that improve one’s life.

For example, we know the importance of handling finances well by using principles such as having a budget, keeping track of spending, and making good choices with our money. Those are natural things that we do. However, there’s also a spiritual side to handling finances. We can be affected by things such as covetousness, greediness, stinginess, and addictions to unhealthy patterns as it relates to money.

1 Timothy 6:10 reads; “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Here, the apostle Paul makes a spiritual reference related to something natural, such as money. Your mind/brain has both natural and spiritual dimensions. We will explore dynamics that relate to spiritual factors related to the mind.

“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:23-24)

So let’s go on this journey to allow the Lord to help us to become the best versions (“new man”) of ourselves!

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

In what ways do you need to become less conformed to the world and more transformed by the renewing of your mind.
As you experience renewing of your mind, what does a better version of yourself look like?

ACTION ITEMS (What I will do with what I have gained)

Get Your Copy of the Book:“Winning the Battle for Your Mind”

Ephesians 2:8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. A masterpiece does not happen by accident. It is not the result of something random. A masterpiece is the result of an inspired plan. We usually relate a masterpiece to artwork or some other work of an artist, whether literary, or music or architecture. Basically, a masterpiece is anyone’s best work. Not “best” in relation to someone else’s work, but only in relation to your work and potential.

Listen to Mother's Day Message by Patricia Hudson, May 12, 2024"To Mom, With Love." View 4K Aurora VideoVisit Photo Gallery Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day and today utters speech, and night under night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. This spring has featured wonders in nature. On April 8, there was a total solar eclipse by the moon, visible for 100-mile-wide band from Texas to Maine. On the evening of May 10th, going into the early morning of May 11th, was the Aurora Borealis, also called the Northern Lights. Unlike the solar eclipse, the Northern Lights could be seen by a large part of the northern hemisphere of planet Earth. What was unusual about the solar storm that created the aurora was that it was visible as far south as Mississippi and Florida. Usually, northern lights are confined to northern Canada and the Arctic Circle. As with the solar eclipse, we don't want to misread or spiritualize this natural event in nature. But what David wrote is true, "The heavens declare the glory of God." But for this event, the second part even rang more true, "The firmament shows his handiwork." From our perspective, the firmament is the sky and atmosphere surrounding the Earth. Sometime before the evening of May 10th, charged particles left the Sun and collided with the atoms and molecules of oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth's upper atmosphere. This collision of the Sun's energy with our atmosphere produced light displayed in glowing colors of red, magenta, green, purple, pink, and blue. As I wrote last month, we don't worship created things. We worship the Creator. And what a Creator we have! As I stood in a field outside the city, away from city lights, I could see these colors dancing in the sky like an IMAX movie, 1,000 times bigger. From the northeast to the northwest, from the horizon to above my head, I saw these colors changing, shimmering, and moving. Through photography and editing, I could enhance the colors, but what I saw with my eyes was amazing. In this blog post, I've included a link to my photographs and a video of the Northern Lights. My message to you today is: Just as there was God's creative light in the Northern Lights, there is light in everything God does in you and around you. That light is three things. 1. It is a reminder that what God does is bigger and better than anything men have done. 2. Just as the Sun's energy from 93 million miles away can set our atmosphere ablaze with color, God's power is beyond comprehension. As the Bible says, "Is there anything too hard for God?" 3. As John wrote, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God...and the word became flesh and dwelled among us." His name is Jesus Christ. "By Him, all things were made, and without Him, nothing was made that was made." You are a creation of your Creator. You are far more magnificent than a solar eclipse and the Aurora Borealis. Look for God's light and let your light shine. God bless, have a great day, and be encouraged!

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To Mom With Love

BY Patricia Hudson, M.A.

2 Timothy 1:5, For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, April 28, 2024STAND: Renewed Mind - Renewed LifeDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES Get Your Copy of "Wining The Battle for Your Mind."(Available in Print, Kindle, and Audible Audiobook (with Virtual Voice)

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Romans 12:1 NKJV, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1 NLT, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

“And do not be conformed (schema) to this world…”

Schema is the changeable aspect of our lives. That which is continually altered, one way or another.

Process For Renewing the Mind

STEP ONE: Implantation

STEP TWO: Formation

STEP THREE: Sanctification

STEP FOUR: Demonstration

“Be transformed(metamorphoō) by the renewing of your mind…”

Metamorphoō is to change into another form, to transform,

Listen to My Message From Sunday, April 21, 2024STAND: You Were Built For StandingDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES Get Your Copy of "Wining The Battle for Your Mind."(Available in Print, Kindle, and Audible Audiobook (with Virtual Voice)

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MAIN THING WORKSHEET

We learn how to, “Stand against the wiles [schemes, strategies] of the devil.”
The best way to overcome the strategies of the enemy is to have your own strategy (plan) from God.
Your strategy will define your tactics (things you do)

One of the devil’s strategies is distraction:

Hindering and disrupting God’s plan in the lives of believers and preventing unbelievers from coming to faith in Christ.

Remember the “Path Principle”

The Path Principle

Proverbs 7:6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my lattice, 7 And saw among the simple, I perceived among the [a]youths,
A young man devoid of understanding, 8

Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house 9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night.

The Path Principle (from Andy Stanley)

A path is a direction leading to a destination. When you step onto a path, your intentions don’t matter because you are going to go where ever that path leads.

Another one of the enemy’s strategies:

Making lesser things the main thing:

There is a saying,“Keep the main thing, the main thing.”

Listen to My Message From Sunday, April 14, 2024 STAND: God's Consistency in the Heavens and In You DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Watch Video Presentation Prepared by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

Ephesians 6:10, Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [strategies] of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13, Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore…

“Be strong in the Lord and the power of his might. “

God's strength and might in your life comes from his consistency, from his word, and from the order he has established in creation.

Total Eclipse Image Sequence | April 8, 2024Bryan Hudson Astrophotography Galleries 2024 Eclipse Gallery: https://inspirationimages.zenfolio.com/p1054227472? 2017 Eclipse Gallery: https://inspirationimages.zenfolio.com/p728398346 Astrophotography Gallery: https://inspirationimages.zenfolio.com/p762347901?customize=3 AstroBin Gallery: https://www.astrobin.com/users/BryanHudson/

"Caregiving Journey With My Father"

Presentation by Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

WATCH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

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PRESENTATION RESOURCE PAGE

NCC Caregiver Support Group page

Listen to My Message From Sunday, March 31, 2024 Jesus Resurrection: Power for Daily Living DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

Jesus' Resurrection: Power for Daily Living

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Philippians 3:10 NLT, I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! [In daily life]

We don't say "Jesus Has Risen" (past tense). We say "Jesus Is Risen" because He is still alive to empower us for daily living!

The power of resurrection is daily strength through the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:11, And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, March 17, 2024 Rebuilding Walls in Your Life and for Others DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Many times our answers do not come from someplace new, but from someplace old.

This is why the Apostle Paul wrote the following:

Romans 15:4, For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Learning brings patience, comfort, and hope. So let’s learn some lessons from the life and times of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 1:1-4

It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel 2 that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” 4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept...

Seven Principles for rebuilding the walls in our lives and for others

Principle One • Care enough to want to do something great

Principle Two • Commit to Prayer and Ownership of Conditions

Principle Three • Seek proper authority to act.

Principle Four • Come into agreement

Principle Five • Don't be surprised by resistance or being belittled

Principle Six • Stay out of bad meetings

Principle Seven • Get it done! Defy the enemies in your circumstances – whether situations or people

Psalm 119:105, Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Proverbs 6:23, For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.

Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword,

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Reflect on how many times He called your name before you answered “Yes”

Luke 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. (NLT Life Application Bible) 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost.”

Hebrews 4:9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest,

Rest is using the power of the Another

“God’s faithfulness is the one constant in the equation. He is the Rock on which we stand.” ~ Paul Silway

The best words I have found to express my awareness of God's goodness are, "God is Faithful."

2 Thessalonians 3:3, But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

Lamentations 3:22–23, The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

2 Timothy 2:13 New Living Translation, If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is

Listen to My Message From Sunday, February 18, 2024 The Liberty of Love DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Watch Black History Moments video demonstrating the liberty of love:

Galatians 5:13, For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Nothing is more foundational to our walk as Christ followers than God’s love for us and our love for others.

James 2:5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors...12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

James 2:8, If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors...12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

When we practice the Liberty of Love, people are dignified, lives are changed, we are encouraged, and God is gloried.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, February 11, 2024 Break the Pattern. Walk Out of Stuck. DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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John 5:1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” 13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

“Do you want to be healed?”

This is an odd question that Jesus asked. Seemed obvious and little rude. The man had been an invalid for 38 years. We don’t know how long he had been coming to Bethesda.

Being asked a question is often the first step to breaking a pattern.

Loving and serving often involves questions:

Do you want to change?
Are you serious about change?
What do you need to change in order to change?
Is this sustainable? How long can I do it?
What are your God inspired priorities?

Listen to the Message

The God Kind of Love

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1 John 4:16

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

Welcome to the 86th edition of Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute!

We began these weekly talks on January 26, 2022. I trust you are being blessed!

We read in Matthew 17:19:
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Unbelief is a major obstacle to doing the works of Jesus.

Jesus did what the disciples were unable to do. He successfully ministered to the man’s son. When the disciples asked Him, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” Jesus plainly stated, “Because of your unbelief.”

How could the disciples operate in unbelief if they obviously “believed in” ministering to oppressed people? Clearly, they tried to help the man’s son, but were not successful.

For Christ followers, unbelief is not rejecting the truth. It is not failing to believe the Bible, or not believing in God. It is not even a lack of conviction about what God can do.

Example: Consider an athlete who high jumps who has leaped over seven feet on many occasions. He “believes” that he can jump over seven feet because he has done it many times. What if the athlete stops practicing? What if he loses his discipline and joy of training? If then he attempts to high jump seven feet, but repeatedly fails to make the height, we have an example of unbelief.

Unbelief is an inability to do what needs to be done because fallen out of practice in the things of God. It is a lack of faith with corresponding action. As the Bible says, “Faith without works (or corresponding action) is dead, being alone.” (James 2:20)

What is the solution to the problem of “unbelief” of believers or inability to do he works of God? Jesus answer was plainly stated, “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

“This kind” is not referring to a special kind of demon, but to “this kind” of faith and relationship with God that is developed through prayer and fasting.

Praying and fasting does not “move God” towards us, it moves us towards God. Nothing in God needs to move or change. Everything in us needs to move or change.

There is no magic about prayer and fasting. It is effective because prayer and fasting helps us clear obstacles to our faith and faith-filled actions. Fasting is more than not eating, it is a season of denying conveniences, choices, appetites, and desires for other things, in order to place full emphasis on God.

Whatever helps us focus on God, helps us walk in faith, understand the Bible better, be more sensitive to the Spirit and much more. This is like the high jumper who stays in shape and continues to practice—never taking past achievements for granted.

Obviously, fasting is not eating, but it is also an overall focus on drawing closer to God by removing personal and environmental obstacles. If a person fasted food, but spent the whole day watching movies or playing video games, this would be a worthless fast from a spiritual perspective.

Develop your faith and eliminate your unbelief by strengthening your relationship with God through prayer and fasting.

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Love Wins! How God’s Love Helps You Win In Life

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Galatians 5:13, For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We do not speak of winning as in competition with others.

We're talking about winning from the perspective of fulfilling your purpose and getting the most out of God's grace in your life. Apostle Paul said "I do not frustrate the grace of God.” (Galatians 2:21)

There are seasons where one discovers whether liberty is understood as having responsibility or only "an opportunity for the flesh,” self-indulgence.

By God's love through Christ, we TRIUMPH!

We triumph because we’ve already WON!

Love Causes You and Others to Win

1 John 2:8, Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

NIV, 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[b] lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.

Three Levels of Love that Wins

God Wins: He has a plan to save humanity after the fall of Adam. John 3:16
Others win | The “Royal Law” James 2:8, Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
You win | The first person that needs to experience the winning power of love, is ourselves.

More Than Winners Through ACTS of Love

Romans 8:31, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Cor 5:13 (NLT) If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

Why do we do the things we do? Is it because of fear, for money, for the praise of others, or other factors? Love is the best motivator. Paul wrote, “Christ’s love controls us.”

We can only be fully controlled by love after the death of everything else. This is why Jesus died for all of us, so that all of our ungodly deeds and motivations could also be put to death.

1 Cor. 5:15 states, “He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”

God gives us the power to be controlled by His love, which is evidenced by not being selfishly motivated, living for Christ, and serving God's purpose.

Being controlled by love has benefits: • Purifies our motivations • Sanctifies our actions • Ratifies our decisions • Clarifies our purpose

If I seem crazy sometimes, it's just that I’m radically committed to Loving God, Loving People and Serving the World!

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Eyes on the Prize: Maintaining Focus in Distracting Times

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Philippians 3:12, Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Why We Need This

Your purpose and potential unfolds when you're able to avoid distractions and maintain focus on God, people, and important things.
It is also essential to train your mind, and develop a mindset to victoriously deal with circumstances.
Life and the world is not going to stop for us to catch up.

Distraction is a Dis-ease

A disorder of structure produces specific signs or symptoms that affect normal function

A particular quality, habit, or disposition regarded as adversely affecting a person or group of people.

The Positive Power of Affirmation

2 Corinthians 4:13, And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak

The Positive Power of Affirmation

An affirmation is a positive assertion
It is a short statement that can help brighten your outlook
It is a sign of self-respect and self-awareness

AFFIRMATION #1: I press on. I lay on hold on that for which Jesus laid hold on me.

Why do I press on?
Why did Jesus draft (apprehend) me?

AFFIRMATION #2: I do not allow the past to adversity affect my future. I reach for the things that are ahead.

What adverse things in my past do I need to leave behind?
What things do I reach for?

AFFIRMATION #3: My eyes are on the prize. The prize is the purpose and call of God on my life in Christ.

What is God’s purpose and call on my life?
What is my prize? (List if more than one)

Hebrews 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, [d]giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Two of the most liberating words in our language are: “Thank You!”

Just as John taught that love is shown in deeds more than words, even so “Thank You” is always connected to what we offer or give.

This is why we celebrate birthdays with cards and gifts, because we wish to say “Thank you” for someone’s life. That’s why we celebrate Christmas with gift giving and honoring our Savior. It’s all about saying “Thank You” to the Lord for the gift of life and new life in Christ.

THANK YOU helps keep our lives clear of anxiety, sin, darkness, deception.

Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather [do do something better] giving of thanks.

Philippians 4:6, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

THANK YOU opens doors, releases gifts, empowers worship, and influences better decisions, and opens your heart to others.

Eph. 5:15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [Giving Thanks] 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

THANK YOU puts us in a position to allow God to transform every weakness into a strength

2 Cor. 12:9, And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

THANK YOU draws us closer to God and to others.

Psalm 35:18, I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.

In Psalm 107 "Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy." (NIV)

Psalm 57:1, Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. 2 I will cry out to God Most High, To God who performs all things for me.

Listen to Message from Sunday, July 23, 2023 "Joy of the Lord: Part 3 - Joy Restoration / Dealing with Discouragement by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min. LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Psalm 16:11 NIV, You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 51:12, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit”

Sometimes we need restoration of joy because of sin against God

Psalm 85:4, Restore us, O God of our salvation, And cause Your anger toward us to cease. 5 Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? 6 Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? 7 Show us Your mercy, Lord, And grant us Your salvation. 8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak, For He will speak peace to His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly.

Revival is always first personal
We cannot export what we don’t have
Joy always follows revival, which is refocus on the presence of the Lord.
Remember, “You will fill me with joy in your presence.” (Psalm16:11)

Sources of the Dis-ease of Discouragement

Interpersonal: Psalm 41:9 (NLT), Even my friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.

Institutional: Job, school, etc.

Internal: Worry, mental distress, unrestrained thoughts, etc.

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, July 16, 2023 "Joy of the Lord: Part 2 - Four Essentials to Joyful Living by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min. LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Psalm 16:11 NIV, You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Isaiah 9:2-4 (also spoken by Jesus Matthew 4:15-17),

The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

The Four Essentials to Joyful Living

PERSPECTIVE
PRIORITY
POWER
PURPOSE

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, July 9, 2023 "Joy of The Lord: Strength to Strength" by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min. LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Psalm 16:11 NIV, You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Isaiah 9:2-4 (also spoken by Jesus Matthew 4:15-17)

The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Rejoicing is Your Strength to Strength

Philippians 3:1 (NLT), Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, July 2, 2023 "Release the Greater One Within" by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min. LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

A Nation Founded on Christian Principles? Beyond Narratives to the Actual Story, which is far more interesting and compelling.

From Chapter Five of the book: "Biblical & Social Justice: What Is it?

by Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

https://www.biblicaljusticebook.com/

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1 John 4:4, You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

Real World Application

Affirmative Action was not about elevating unqualified Black people over qualified White people.
It is about selecting from a pool of diverse qualified people.
It is about AFFIRMING the value of people, especially marginalized people and taking ACTION in support of them.
It is about creating opportunities

The concept of affirming others and taking positive actions on their behalf is scriptural:

"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared..." (Nehemiah 8:10)

Scriptures related to affirming others and taking action

Mark 12:31, Love your neighbor as yourself.

Galatians 6:2, Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Proverbs 3:27, Don't withhold good from someone who deserves it, when it is in your power to do so

Philippians 2:4, Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.

Luke 3:10-11, The crowds asked him, 'What then should we do?' He answered, 'Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.’

1 John 3:17, But if someone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but refuses to help — how can the love of God dwell in a person like that?

Acts 20:35, In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus' words: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

So in this environment we must remind ourselves that the GREATER ONE lives within us.

We trust God and we also look for Him to work in our circumstances, rearrange circumstances, remove ungodly people, and bring whatever is needed to make a difference.

This is what is meant by the word “RELEASE.”

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, June 11, 2023 "New Beginning / Commence" by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min. LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, June 4, 2023 "Principles of Progress: Rivers and Roads" by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min. LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Principles of Progress Worksheet

Philippians 3:12,Not that I have already attained or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 43:18-19, Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

Watch Astrophotography Slideshow

In an increasingly petty and narrow-minded world, it is good for us to consider God's greatness and elevate our thinking to cause us to become more purposeful in our times.

As a lifelong photographer, lately I have become more involved in the hobby of Astro photography, which is taking photographs of objects in space. David wrote in Psalm 145:5, "I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works."

Today, within and near our cities, light pollution hinders seeing the night sky as David and others saw it. If you ever have been in a place without city lights, you know how spectacular the night sky is. But this is an experience that very few have had the pleasure of witnessing.

There is something life-lifting in meditating on the works of God. We often marvel at the works of man, but nothing compares to the works of God. This is not something we need for our faith, but it is certainly an inspiring example of the bigness of God, in the midst of the smallness of this world.

David also wrote in Psalm 19:1-3, "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard."

The heavens are the skies, both the daytime and night skies, going into space. The heavens declare God’s creative glory and his power to regulate all things. David said that day and night utter speech. It also reveals knowledge. God speaks to us through His creation and challenges us to expand our knowledge. Jesus used parables about nature to illuminate truth.

I challenge you to elevate your thinking and remove yourself from the petty and pointless things of this world that compete for your attention. As a matter of fact, when you meditate on the glorious splendor of God's majesty and on His wondrous works, you will experience a reset in your outlook and in your thinking. By looking at a big God, you will see yourself in proper perspective and realize your help and strength are available from Christ.

On the blog, there is a video compilation of astro images collected over the past few months, and a few from recent years. There's also like to my online gallery, as well as a video from the 2017 total eclipse of the sun.

Let these images and video inspire you to view your life through the lens of God's greatness, not the lens of these troubled times. Reset your outlook.

Bryan Hudson astrophotography gallery

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, May 21, 2023"My Mind & The Mind of Christ"by Pastor Bryan Hudson LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHINGDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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1 Corinthians 2:16, For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Having the mind of Christ means sharing the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ, and it is something that all believers possess.

The believer lives a life under God’s influence

The Bible has a lot to say about the mind.

However, the mind is not the brain.

This is a misconception that needs to be overcome.

The Bible says nothing specifically about mental health.

The Bible talks about health, but does not differentiate what parts of the body or one’s life need to be healthy.

God’s concept of healing is the total person, spirit, soul, and body

When understood properly, biblical truth and scientific/physiological truth are not competing concepts, but complimentary concepts.

Each serves a different purpose.

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, May 14, 2023"A Mother's Love"by Patricia Hudson LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHINGDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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A mother’s love, celebrates the wins and comforts the losses. No matter what happens, you can always count on a mother to give you a love unlike any other.

Deuteronomy 4:9, Teach what you’ve seen and heard to your children and grandchildren.

Teach your children the wisdom and lessons you learn in life.

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, May 7, 2023"Imago Dei: I Am By Grace" LISTEN TO AND WATCH THE TEACHINGDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES DOWNLOAD IMAGE DEI WORKSHEET

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God’s Purpose for You. You are “By Grace.”

1 Corinthians 15:9, For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

G.R.A.C.E.

Give: Give what God has given you to give.

Reach: Go for more than business as usual.

Accept: Embrace the new things God was doing in your life.

Clear: Clear the old behaviors to make room for God’s best ways.

Elevate: Giving, Reaching, Accepting and Clearing lead to an Elevation or “Great Grace!”

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, April 30, 2023"Imago Dei: The Life You Live" LISTEN TO THE TEACHINGDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES DOWNLOAD IMAGE DEI WORKSHEET

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Galatians 2:20,I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

In the Apostle Paul's day and in our day, there is this concept that Jesus is not enough, and additional religious philosophy and practice is needed.

"The just shall live by faith." (Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11)

The life at peace with God is not attained by futile, never- ending, ever-defeated effort. It can be had only by casting himself on the love and mercy of God as Jesus Christ.~ William Barclay

The Life You Live - Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live

Old sinful and selfish versions of myself are dead and in the past.

But Christ lives in me

Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). This is the most significant factor to blessed and purpose filled life

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, April 23, 2023"Imago Dei: Know Who You Are! LISTEN TO THE TEACHINGDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES DOWNLOAD IMAGE DEI WORKSHEET

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Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God’s image - Character

God’s likeness - Outward witness

Dominion - Responsibility, tasks, duty, service

Fruitful - Utilizing abilities and gifts

Multiply - Reproduce yourself, empower others

Subdue - Create and maintain order

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, April 2, 2023"RISEN! Walking in Newness of Life" WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHINGDOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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What did the Apostle Paul teach?

He taught something called

“Identification with Christ.”

This is the master key to unlocking our identity in Christ and kingdom living.

Romans 6:1, Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should WALK in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin

We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, not only because it was only a life-changing event in history.
We celebrate because Jesus’ resurrection is a empowering grace for today.
This is why we say, “Jesus IS risen,” not “Jesus HAS risen.”

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, April 2, 2023"When Your King Comes In" WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Unconditional Love by Patricia Hudson

New Covenant Church

Covenant Women's Meeting

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John 12:12, The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!”

King Jesus rides on the faith of worshippers.

How do you receive your King Jesus?

1. Obey the Lord, "Go into the village...."
2. Pay Attention to detail, "Find a colt tied... get the permission of the owner" (not just grab any donkey walking around, and there were a lot of them)
3. Operate under God‘s authority, "The Lord has need of it…"
4. Understand sacrificial giving. A sacrifice is not: Doing something we don’t want to do. A sacrifice is: Offering up something costly and precious.
5. Remember the blessings of God in your life: “[Rejoiced over] All the mighty works they had seen..."
6. Worship and praise God, “HOSANNA! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord."

1 Samual 30:1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

Listen to Message from Sunday, March 19, 2023"Your Year of Provision & Season of Delight" WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

Your Year of Provision & Season of Delight

Message Delivered at Overcoming Church,

Indianapolis, Indiana - March 19, 2023

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Philippians 4:15-19, 15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but YOU only. 16 For even in Thessalonica YOU sent aid once and again for my necessities…18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from YOU, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all YOUR need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus

Psalm 37:3, Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, March 12, 2023"Stop the Drift" WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Hebrews 2:1. Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, March 5, 2023Kingdom Leverage: How to Gain it and Use It WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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Matthew 6:10, Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What Jesus instructed His disciples to pray was not a wish, it was a method for getting things done in a way that glorifies God.

We live within systems of our society.
We are also citizens of God's kingdom.
We have advantages that are not available to civil kingdoms.
The kingdom of God is the alternative to the kingdom of this world.
An “alternative” simply means there is another way.
We are not limited by the choices this world offers us.

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, February 26, 2023LEVERAGE: Importing & Exporting Breakthrough, Part One WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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2 Corinthians 9:8, And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Micah 2:13, He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the Lord at their head.

God provides what we need to IMPORT, to breakthrough in our lives.God also gives us grace to EXPORT breakthrough for others.

HISTORY IS HIS-TORYWhat is your history?What has been imported?

YOUR HISTORY IS HIS-STORY

Your ancestors & predecessors

Your family

Your spiritual lineage

Your education

Your experiences

Your nation

YOUR HISTORY IS HIS-STORY

Your life and work today

are the result of history

GRACE IS LEVERAGE

2 Corinthians 9:8, God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Matthew 6:11, Give us this day our daily breadGod is a God of provision and detail. Jesus stated that the hairs on our head (or lack thereof!) are numbered (Luke 12:7). This is a saying meant to convey God’s deep concern for His children.This part of Jesus’ instruction to His disciples on prayer was very simple, but there is profound truth behind it. Some of explanations of this text include (From William Barclay’s Commentary on the New Testament):1. The bread has been identified with the bread of the Lord's Supper.2. The bread has been identified with the spiritual food of the word of God. Taken to be a prayer for the true teaching, the true doctrine, the essential truth as our food.3. The bread has been taken to stand for Jesus Himself. Jesus called himself the bread of life (John 6:33-35)4. The bread has been taken to be the bread of the heavenly kingdom. Luke tells how someone said to Jesus: “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15).“Daily” Bread Has a Special MeaningThe Greek word “daily” is only used here and in Luke’s Gospel of the same prayer: ἐπιούσιος – epiousiosIn the early part of the 20th Century a papyrus fragment (a material which people used for writing) was found with the Greek word, ἐπιούσιος, on it. The papyrus fragment was actually a shopping list! It was a note to remind the person to buy supplies of a certain food for the coming day.From this context, the literal meaning of “daily bread” is: “Give me the things we need to eat for this coming day.”This simple prayer for our everyday needs reveals FIVE truths:1. We understand that God cares for our bodies. Jesus showed us that; he spent so much time healing men's diseases and satisfying their physical hunger.2. We understand to live one day at a time, and not to worry and be anxious about the distant and unknown future.3. Praying for daily provision puts God His proper place in our lives.4. This pray reminds us of how prayer works.5. Jesus did not teach us to pray: “Give ME my daily bread.” He taught us to pray: “Give US our daily bread.”The problem of hunger in our world is not a lack of provision. There is enough to go around. The problem is a lack of distribution. This prayer teaches us never to be selfish in our prayers.

It is a prayer that we can help answer by being obedient to God and showing the same level of concern/detail for the needs of others as for ourselves. This prayer is not only a prayer that we may receive our daily bread; it is also a prayer that we may share daily bread with others.REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How has your understanding of Give us this day our daily bread been expanded? What will it change in your lifestyle?

For these final two days of our 21-day devotional, we're going to look at a couple of statements from the “Disciple’s prayer,” that we mistakenly call the “Lord’s prayer.” This was the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray.

Today, we will consider Matthew 6:10, Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In our final lesson, we will consider Matthew 6:11: Give us this day our daily bread.

Throughout His time on the earth it was evident that the Kingdom of God was central to the message of Jesus.

Jesus said, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” (Luke 4:43)

To be in the Kingdom is to obey the will of God. The Kingdom is in fact the most personal thing in the world. The Kingdom demands the submission of my will, my heart, my life. It is only when each one of us makes his personal decision and submission that the Kingdom comes. (Barclay)

Given this understanding, it certainly makes sense that part of our daily prayer would be for God to make his kingdom present and active among Christ followers. We live within systems of our society, such as our economic systems, political systems, and educational systems. We are also citizens of God's kingdom which affords advantages that are not available to civil kingdoms. This would include righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17-18).

What does this mean? Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Contrary to the false ideas and idolatry of Christian nationalism, that seeks to integrate their views of the Bible into every aspect of government and society, Kingdom living is mostly a matter of our devotion to God and behavior toward others. People who try to insert the Bible into civil laws and culture neglect the reality that unsaved people cannot obey the Scriptures––something only possible by the help of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:17) It seems that some people wish to impose a Christian form of Muslim sharia law. God’s kingdom is not of this world, though we are salt and light to the world.

I suggest that God’s will being done “on earth” must first happen in “earthen vessels”–– you and me. There are those who believe that God’s will being done on earth is essentially advocating a Christian “take over” of systems of this world.

The truth is this: Everything in this present order will be destroyed, not preserved and presented to Jesus when He returns:

“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:10-13)

Jesus did not advocate a “take over.” He preached the Gospel of the Kingdom which is God’s love, righteousness, joy, Christ-like character, and good works infused in our lives and lifestyle.

I believe this is the more biblical understanding of “Your Kingdom Come. Your Will Be Done.”

Reflection Questions:

How is kingdom living different than a desire to “take over” systems of this world?
What does doing God’s will “on earth” look like to you?

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The Salt Principle

Matthew 5:13 , "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.”

There were four uses for salt

To Purify: Indicated by is brightness, ability to soften hard water and remove toxic metals
To Offer: As currency, and something required with offerings by the ancient Hebrews
To Preserve: As a chemical that retards decay in meat, allowing storage without refrigeration
To Flavor: As an enhancement to the taste of food

Leviticus 2:13, God gave a command to the Hebrews that included the use of salt; “And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.”

Mark 9:50, “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”

You Are Light - Designed to Help

Matthew 5:14-15 , You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

Matthew 5:33-37, You have heard that it was said by the people of the old days: You shall not take an oath falsely, but you shall pay your oath in full to the Lord. But I say to you: Do not swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God, nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King, nor by your head, for you cannot make one hair black or white. When you say, Yes, let it be yes; and when you say, No, let it be no. Anything which goes beyond that has its source in evil.

We live in a world where people have used the phrase "alternative facts” or attempt to justify their actions with a phrase like, “Well, the depends on what the meaning of ‘is’ is.” A more recent response on the part of George Santos now famously lying about being a Jew: “I didn’t say I was Jewish, I said I was Jew-ish.” We live in a world where you can go into an electronics store and ask for something, only to be told, "Yes we have it…what does it look like?” Rather than say, "I don't know,” many would rather create an illusion of knowledge.

The other side of that coin is when people discover that someone was faking knowledge, all credibility is lost. When this happens at an institutional level, institutions become untrusted.

As people, we have surprising little actual power. We can mix things together, like the ingredients for a cake, but we don’t actually invent things like wheat to make flour or chickens that provide eggs.

It is far better to “under-promise and over-deliver” than “over-promise and under-deliver.” Swearing to (or committing to) actions that require powers we do not possess is foolish, not to mention doomed to fail. Jesus taught His disciples and others listening in to “make it plain.” Let “yes” be yes and “no” be no.

I am amused by people who offer me something to which I may say “No, thank you,” followed by the response, “Are your sure?” Sometimes my response is, “I already answered the question.” We live in a world where people are conditioned not to accept your answer because are not clear with our answers.

There is also this worthless response to an invitation, to which some people respond, “I will try” or my favorite, “I might try.” Just say, “no,” if that is your intention.

It is interesting that in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus dealt with these matters which seem quite trivial. But the reality is that small things in life, added together, become the sum total of our lives.

So, make it plain and add nothing to it.

Reflection Question:

What vague and evasive behaviors or habits do you need to stop and replace with brief, honest responses?

The Day Religion Died

Matthew 5:17-20, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

Over the history of humanity, among people who claim to follow God, there has been a tension between what and who is right or wrong.

There have always been religious leaders who have placed themselves over people as the standard for all others and doing so while claiming God’s permission and a superior station in life. But those people, like the Pharisees, have always been the wrong ones.

This became clear when Jesus entered the religious scene of his day. He made a distinction between God’s intended purpose, and what religious leaders were actually doing. Yes, God did give the Ten Commandments and other statutes to Moses on Mount Sinai and they were designed to be understood, and followed by God’s people. However, we know from Paul’s writings that the Law was intended to reveal the futility of trying to obey the Law in one’s own strength (Rom. 8:3–4) as well as point the people to Christ. (Galatians 3:24)

Paul wrote, “The Law is good” (1 Timothy 1:8), but the problem was the sin nature and weakness of humanity as revealed in their (and our) inability to consistently do what God wanted. We know in history that religious leaders added 600+ lesser rules and man-made “commandments.” In all of this, religious leaders gave (and still give) people a false sense of security, that if they do what was told them, they would be “right with God.”

During Jesus’ time on earth religious leaders imposed rules such as “Sabbath ay’s journey” in which now now was allowed to travel more than 2/3 mile, or mandating practices such as ritual hand washings, and much more.

What is noteworthy is that Jesus routinely broke their laws, while always being true to Moses’ and God's law. One day He healed a man on the Sabbath and told him to pick up his bed and walk, which was “work” and forbidden on the Sabbath. Think about it: To be critical of a man being healed a significant disability because it was done on the WRONG DAY!

On another occasion, Jesus and his disciples were condemned for eating without doing ceremonial washing of their hands––something related to man made rules, not God’s law.

As I write this during Black history month, I'm reminded of the civil disobedience of the people of Rev. Dr. King’s era. They sat at lunch counters that were “whites only,” thus breaking laws. Dr. King said, “It is just to obey a just law and it is unjust to obey an unjust law.” We see that Jesus practiced a form of religious civil disobedience. You could say, He protested religious injustice.

Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus undermined religious systems while paving the way for hearts to be changed by the Holy Spirit though something called the “New Birth.” (born of the Spirit) There are spiritual disciplines, things we do such as regular prayer and serving others, which may be considered as “pure religion” (James 1:27), but nothing we do is for the purpose of gaining God’s favor and “earning” His righteousness.

A highly education, respected, and religious-establishment man named Nicodemus received a lesson from Jesus about a new reality:

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

During his Sermon on the Mount,Jesus forever changed the paradigm for what it means to be righteous and to walk with God, but religious leaders wanted to hang onto the old ways, maintain control over people, and present themselves as gateways to God. Sadly, we see this same behavior until this day.

As a pastor, I am a spiritual (or “religious”) leader, but I know better than to present my righteousness above the righteousness of God as revealed in Christ. We don't need to follow the example of “Pharisees,” when we have Jesus, the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit. Our job today is to lead people to Christ, then “shepherd” them in their relationship with God and understanding of the Word. We are are all equal in God’s sight. Our purpose and roles differ, but the Body of Christ is designed to edify, or “build up,” one another.

Reflection Questions:

How did religion die when Jesus presented a new reality with His Sermon on the Mount.
Why is trying to live by man-made rules ineffective as compared to the being “born again" and following Christ?
Why is the righteousness of trying to keep manmade rules lesser than the righteousness of God of Christ

Matt. 5:17-20

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

At a first reading it might well be held that this is the most astonishing statement that Jesus made in the whole Sermon on the Mount. In this statement Jesus lays down the eternal character of the Law; and yet Paul can say, "Christ is the end of the Law" (Rom.10:4).

Again and again Jesus broke what the Jews called the Law. He did not observe the handwashings that the Law laid down; he healed sick people on the Sabbath, although the Law forbade such healings; he was in fact condemned and crucified as a law-breaker; and yet here he seems to speak of the Law with a veneration and a reverence that no Rabbi or Pharisee could exceed

Matthew 5:14-15, You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

For many of us who are not naturally outgoing, and even somewhat introverted, the concept of being a light to the world, goes opposite our nature.

But Jesus made it very clear that what He gave us was not only for us. The life, peace, and joy that we possess was designed by God to be shared. It is part of the purpose for which he created us. What we don't need to see is a show or any kind of a spiritual circus act–bringing glory to self, and not to God. There are many ways to let your light shine without treating it like a spotlight meant for performing.

Jesus said, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John.9:5). When He said to His disciples You are the light of the world, it was a call to rearrange their priorities to serve God's greater purpose. We always have our privacy, but we do not dishonor God by allowing our light to be hidden.

Jesus did not say, “You are the light of the Church.” He said, "You are the light of the world.”

Three purposes for your light:

God designed light to be seen. This how we hold public meetings, publish works, use social media, and more. Just because I do things the wrong way does not mean we should do nothing. That would dishonor Jesus, while honoring human arrogance.
Light is a guide: and in our world of bright lights, we could not imagine existing in darkness, living only by candlelight at night as people did for centuries. When we shine our light, we help people. When we do not allow our light to shine, we permit the hurt and pain of people to continue.
Light can be warning. Just as can show the way to good places, it can also provide advance warning of dangers ahead.

So let your light shine by making the best of the opportunities God has provided.

Reflection questions:

In what ways is your light, your good works, seen by others?
How is your life, as a light, guiding others?
In what ways does your life, as a light, help others avoid dangers?

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.”Considering our topic today, I would you answer this question: “Who are the people who have made a difference in my life?”The answer to this question reveals the “salt” principle. Historically, there were four uses for salt.1. To Purify: Indicated by is brightness, ability to soften hard water and remove toxic metals2. To Offer: As currency, and something required with offerings by the ancient Hebrews3. To Preserve: As a chemical that retards decay in meat, allowing storage without refrigeration4. To Flavor: As an enhancement to the taste of foodA single word that can best describe the function of salt is INFLUENCE.In Leviticus 2:13, God gave a command to the Hebrews that included the use of salt;“And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.”God wanted the people use salt, not for flavor or for preservation. He wanted the people to include salt with all their offerings because it represented God's influence in their lives.Jesus said, for salt to lose its taste and saltiness, is equivalent to a loss of influence––not our influence over others, but God's influence in us. Jesus in Mark 9:50, “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”This is an example of the salt principle at work inside the believer that can have the effect of bringing peace with others. We cannot hope to influence others positively if we are not being influenced by God.As Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

REFLECTION QUESTION:How does salt represent God’s influence?ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON:

Matt. 5:10-12, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you."

We value a life free from difficulty. There’s nothing wrong with that desire, but life doesn’t always work that way.

We all face difficulties and challenges related to our purpose and tasks. If you are into customer service, you know what it’s like to be personally criticized for something that was not your doing. People are often frustrated and feel the need need to vent to whomever seems to be closest to what frustrates them. If the mail carrier delivers an overdue bill, some people become angry at the person who is only doing his or her job. If one did not study well and then fails an examination, being angry at the teacher does not make sense. There are things about human nature that are irrational and illogical, but this is the reality of human nature.

I remember when I was in art school as a 20 year old, I had a professor who was strict. He seemed to always be critical of my work. One day I called him a racist thinking that he was singling me out because I was Black. His response was “Bryan, you are delivering substandard work. I expect better and you can do better.” I felt that I was being persecuted, but in reality my professor only objectively identified where I was coming short of the standards of this prestigious art school.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake…”

In this statement, He was not talking about everyday life. Jesus spoke specifically to those who were serving God's purposes, not their own. Persecution is suffering in the service of doing God‘s will. Because many people are at odds with God and living opposite His values, they lash at those who represent God’s purposes and values.

Persecution can take many forms. Apart from martyrdom (death), which is obviously the worst form of persecution, all other forms are intended to inflict some level of emotional pain, mental distress, with the aim towards discouraging further activity in His name. Examples include:

• Physical attacks

• Abusive words

• Rejection of one's message

• Refusal to support

• Slander and speaking negatively to others about the person serving God

But as we like to say, “Don’t get it twisted!” Peter explained:

“Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.” (1 Peter 2:20, NLT)

Getting in trouble for doing wrong IS NOT persecution! When you suffer for doing good, THIS IS persecution.

As Paul instructed Timothy, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12)

So, the blessing of being persecuted for righteousness sake is that we are in the “good company” of Jesus Christ and all those who suffered doing God’s will. From another context, we remember the late, great John Lewis, who famously said, “Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”

We should do the same and more for the Gospel of Christ!

Reflection Question:

For God’s purposes, what “good trouble” have you experienced?

Matt. 5:9, Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called sons of God.

In Greek, the word for peace is eirēnē (εἰρήνη), and in Hebrew it is shalom. In Hebrew peace is not simply the absence of trouble. In the Bible peace means not only freedom from all trouble, it means enjoyment of all good.

Jesus did not say, “Blessed are the peace lovers.” He said “Blessed are the peace makers.” It is not enough to desire peace, but take no action to help bring it about. The spirit of peacemaking is being willing to act to bring about a better state for people.

William Barclay wrote, “The peace which the Bible calls blessed does not come from the evasion of issues; it comes from facing them, dealing with them, and conquering them. What this beatitude demands is not the passive acceptance of things because we are afraid of the trouble of doing anything about them, but the active facing of things, and the making of peace, even when the way to peace is through struggle.” (Barclay's Commentary on the New Testament:)

As I write, we are celebrating Black History Month in the United States. The work of leaders such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was an excellent example of being a peace maker. Dr. King was not just a peace lover, he did actual work to bring peace to others. Ironically, the efforts of brave Americans and Christ followers in that era revealed the hatred of white supremacists as well as the indifference of people who were content to “love peace,” but do nothing.

“We must find new ways to speak for peace… for justice throughout the developing world, a world that borders on our doors. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight.” (M.L. King, Conscience and the Vietnam War, The Trumpet of Conscience, 1968)

The ultimate work of peacemaking, is helping people become reconciled to God, casting off their hostility to truth, rejection of light, and violence against the Holy Spirit through rebellion.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:14-16,

For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation…so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace

Jesus very life became the testament of breaking down the barriers that separated people from God. Jesus estimate peacemaker.

Reflection Question:

How is being a peace-maker more than being a peace-lover?

Matthew 5:8, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

All the Beatitudes are lessons in basic living and possessing core character attributes. Being “pure in heart” is essentially operating with good and godly motivations, which answers the question: “Why am I doing what I do?”

We are all motivated by something: Items such as the desire for money, security, fame, fear of rejection, adoration, being helpful, controlling others, fulfilling a “hidden agenda,” pleasure, or other motivations. The whole reason for being a Christ follower and becoming a “new creation in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17) is to experience a change of heart and motivation. In Christ, motivations should revolve around pleasing God, learning His ways, handling our responsibilities, loving/serving people, and doing His will as we understand it.

As a 19 year old, before becoming a Christ follower through the “new birth” at age 21, my motivation was to go to church, not to hear the Word and grow in Christ, but to see young ladies and “hang out.” We now call that behavior “church-wise,” which was akin to being “street-wise” – knowing just enough to “get over” and survive, but not to change for the better.

I was not pure in heart, and did not fool discerning adult believers who were paying attention. All that changed on July 8, 1978 when I had a genuine encounter with the risen Christ! (No time to share details here). All of the Beatitudes, which I had heard, but did not understand, became reality in my life.

The Greek word for pure is katharos (καθαρός). It is defined as: Clean, free from corrupt desire, sincere, genuine, blameless, innocent.

Nothing in us, apart of Christ, can achieve purity. That is not to say that people cannot be good and productive, but there are things only God can do with the human heart.

Again, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

It is not that God forbids access to people who are not pure in heart, or hides himself. It is more that, any person controlled by motivations that are not genuine cannot see God because He is unrecognizable.

We’ve all had the experience of looking for something, but looking in the wrong place. The heart that is fundamentally impure either searches in wrong places, such as man-made religion, or is not interested in seeking God at all.

Being or becoming pure in heart is not something we can “work at,” it is a state of being like water being in a state of solid, liquid, or vapor. Only God can change the state of a person’s heart, and only a relationship with God through Christ will open that door.

Reflection Question:

In addition to your ideal core motivations as a Christ follower, what other real motivations control you? What needs to change?

Matthew 5:7, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

In our day, we talk about the importance of interpersonal skills. One of the most important of those skills is the ability to be merciful. Having mercy is much more than an emotional wave of pity. It is a deliberate effort of the mind and of the will.

There is a story in the Bible of someone who was forgiven of his debt. The sad part was, the person who was forgiven, went and demanded payment from someone who owed him some money. “He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.” (Matthew 18:21-35)

The essence of mercy is forgiveness and compassion.

"For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy" (Jas.2:13)

"So also my heavenly Father will do to everyone of you; if you do not forgive your brother from your heart" (Matt. 18:35).

"Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors". "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt. 6:12,14,15)

Having mercy requires empathy. We just don't feel for people, we attempt to feel with people.

In the Bible languages, one of the words for mercy carries this idea: The wish to get inside the other person's skin until we can see things with his eyes, think things with his mind, and feel things with his feelings.” (Barclay)

Most people are so consumed with their own feelings that there is no room to be concerned with the feelings of anyone else.

Among the greatest attributes of God is His love and mercy for humanity.

Jesus came to the earth (Emmanuel, “God with us.”), took the form of a human, and dealt with all of the pressures and temptations of being human. This gave God the “data” or the experiential knowledge He needed show mercy towards you, me, and all people!

The present blessing of mercy from this Beatitude is that our hearts are broken for others. Mercy paves the way for us to be useful in the lives of others.

Reflection Question:

For whom do you need to show mercy?

Matthew 5:6, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled (satisfied)

We live a discontented, dissatisfied world. Seems like nothing is good enough and we find room to complain while experiencing many of the best conditions in life here in the USA. We are very aware of all the things that are wrong, and don’t ignore those conditions, but we should be intentional about thinking on the things that are good.

The Apostle Paul wrote, Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

A function of having hunger and thirst for righteousness is focusing on right things. Biblical righteousness is “right standing with God.” Righteousness is living inside of God’s goodness. Righteousness is also “standing in the right place.”

There is something about God’s righteousness that adjusts our attitude, helps us focus on good things, removes religious arrogance, and cancels self-righteousness.

The fact is that very few of us in modern conditions of life know what it is to be really hungry or really thirsty. In the ancient world it was very different. A working man's wage was the equivalent of three pence a day, and, even making every allowance for the difference in the purchasing power of money, no man ever got fat on that wage. A working man in Palestine ate meat only once a week, and in Palestine the working man and the day labourer were never far from the border-line of real hunger and actual starvation. (Barclay)

Hunger and thirst is a passion for something needed, like food and shelter, not just something we want like a bigger television. In our culture, we confuse wants with necessities. We hunger and thirst because righteousness is NOT something we possess without Christ. In Christ, we are righteous, but we are only aware of it through fellowship with God.

The question to ask yourself is this: How much do I want God’s goodness, provision, and righteousness? Do you want it as much as a starving man wants food? How intense is your desire for God?

A takeaway from this Beatitude is this: It is not enough to be satisfied with partial goodness and righteousness, because here is no such thing as partial with with God. He wants us FILLED with whatever He offers. So, don’t settle for less.

Reflection Question:

What does God's goodness, provision, and righteousness look like to you?

Matthew 5:5, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.Many years ago, I watched a television commercial in which a young Charles Barclay said, “The meek may inherit the earth, but they won’t get the ball from me."In first two Beatitudes Jesus used words like poor, mourning, and in the third, meek. In the fourth Beatitude Jesus used the words hunger and thirst. It seems that Jesus turned conventional wisdom and normal thinking upside down. He elevated “weak” words.

In popular culture, especially in a hyper-masculine culture, there’s nothing about being meek that is admired. Meekness is often seen as weakness.There is nothing weak about Jesus or the Kingdom of God. A “meek” Jesus did the following as recorded by Matthew:Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:12-13)I like to also point out that these were not folding chairs and card tables that He turned over. These had to be benches and tables of wood and stone––heavy items! This indicates Jesus’ physical strength and likely strong physique. Something else we don’t attribute to “meek” men.So true meekness must be something other and timidity and inaction. We see Jesus’ righteous indignation (angry with good reason) and bold actions to address injustice within a holy space.The definition of the words meek and meekness are deeper than we usually think. Being meek involves gentleness, but not without conviction and willingness to take action.Barclay’s Commentary offers this interpretation based on the Greek word for “meek” πραΰς (praus) as it was understood in the First Century: “Blessed is the man who is always angry at the right time, and never angry at the wrong time.”(Note that Jesus understood and spoke primarily in Hebrew, as well as Aramaic, Greek, and some Latin. What became New Testament Gospels and Epistles were written in Greek with some phrases from other languages)True meekness has the components of self-control and having a proper disposition for the occasion. Meek people have humility which banishes all pride.A person who is meek, as Jesus defined and demonstrated it, is someone God can entrust with inheriting the Earth. A meek person is someone who can become responsible for things far greater than himself. For example, we would never want someone too rash or too timid to handle important business. Meekness is essential to caring for people, serving people, and even correcting people.There is truly no weakness within genuine meekness!REFLECTION QUESTION:Why is there no weakness within meekness? Provide an example of true meekness from your life.ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON:

___________________________ RESOURCES:• Message by Dr. Tony Evans, "Blessed Are the Spiritual Beggars" (Matthew 5:3)https://go.tonyevans.org/tony-evans-sermons/blessed-are-the-spiritual-beggars• Follow this link to a resource from Zondervan Academic on the Beatitutes:https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes• Follow this link to a resource on the Beatitudes from BibleGateway:https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2022/08/what-are-the-beatitudes-why-are-the-beatitudes-important/• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to a resource from Zondervan Academic: https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to the web version of Barclay's Commentary on the New Testament: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb.html• THIS LINK is a downloadable PDF of Barclay's Commentary _______________ Listen to the Teaching“The Beatitudes: Blessing on Purpose”

Matt. 5:4, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Typically, we only associate mourning with the death of a loved one. This is the correct meaning of the word, along with “to lament” and “to weep.” Mourning is not limited to death. We also mourn, or show compassion, for any situation that leaves people sad, hurt, or lacking. When we mourn, remember that Jesus wants someone comforted. Comfort is help on every level.

As with all the Beatitudes, Jesus highlighted something in the present, neither looking back nor looking ahead. He also highlighted the importance of a worship relationship with God as well as a service oriented relationship with others. Mourning is founded in caring intensely for the sufferings, the sorrows, and for the needs of others. (Barclay)

The blessing is in bringing comfort to others in finding comfort within yourself––as a by-product of caring. Looking back at the first Beatitude, we saw that it is always right to be detached from things, but it is never right to be detached from people. Being callous and unconcerned is easy. Caring for people is hard, but nothing else carries a greater reward. Caring is love in action. God is love. When we carry God’s type of love, people are helped and circumstances change..

All Sunshine Makes a Desert

Blessed is the man who has endured the bitterest sorrow that life can bring. The Arabs have a proverb: "All sunshine makes a desert." The land on which the sun always shines will soon become an arid place in which no fruit will grow. There are certain things which only the rains will produce; and certain experiences which only sorrow can beget.” (Barclay)

The essence of being a Christ Follower is caring to the level where we have empathy for people, not just sympathy. It has been said that sympathy is to feel for someone, while empathy is the feel with people. This is not something we naturally can do as humans. It's one of the unique aspects of being made in gods image and likeness, and then even more, to have the heart and mind of Christ.

Mourning produces in us a special kind of kindness toward people. It fosters a compassion that we would not gain without entering into sorrow and mourning.When things go well it is possible to live for years on the surface of things. However, when sorrow comes, we are driven to the deeper things of life. As we mourn, walking with Christ and assisting others, we find a new strength and a unique measure of comfort.

We don’t have to wait for difficult events come upon us causing mourning, through love we can choose to mourn over (be concerned about) others. Again, this leads to comfort for others and for yourself.

Reflection question:

For what or whom can you mourn that will cause compassion to rise in you leading to action and comfort? Be specific,

Matthew 5:3, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Our western, American, prosperity-driven, materialistic mindset wants nothing to do with anything “poor.” So we should not be surprised if a person’s first, uninformed, reaction to words like, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” would be “No way! Not me!” Sometimes people only read “blessed are the poor…”If material poverty was the will of God, Jesus would have never provided for people in need or told us to do the same for others. One commentary compared being poor in spirit to “bankruptcy.” This is a poor example because declaring bankruptcy comes from either unforeseen circumstances or irresponsible behavior.There is great wealth for those who are willing to be poor in spirit.In biblical Greek there are two words for “poor.” There is the word penes which describes someone who works for a living and who rises or falls based on his own efforts. Penes is not the word used in this Beatitude.The other word is ptochos, which describes a person who has absolutely nothing. This is the word used in Matthew 5:3. The idea is that a Christ and Kingdom follower has made the decision to place all of his/her trust in God rather than in material things and earthly resources.We make the decision to fill our hearts (our spirit) with God’s presence and spiritual resources. We place priority on this objective more than material gain. As Jesus also said later in this same sermon:“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 5:33)It was as if Jesus said, “When you make the choice to place my Kingdom and purposes above your own ambitions, abandon your craving for things, live to give, and forsake striving for status, I will open doors for you to find greater blessings in my Kingdom.” (my words)One of the things you will quickly notice about people who truly serve God, in the Bible and in life is this: They never lack material things and needed resources unless they decide to go without it!There is great wealth in being poor in spirit! That wealth is oriented in this order of priority: 1) spirit, 2) soul, 3) body. God’s way is never oriented as, 1) body, 2) soul, 3) spirit.Materially rich and poor people can commit the same sin of the heart: Lusting for money and things. The rich person (or wasteful person) lusts for stuff and gets it. The poor person lusts for stuff and does not get it (or gets it, but is unable to sustain it).So, declare yourself to be ptochos, so that Jesus can open to you the doors of His Kingdom and release blessings through the “windows of heaven.” (Malachi 3:10)REFLECTION QUESTION:Based on this lesson, what does being “poor in spirit look like to you?” ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON:___________________________ RESOURCES:• Message by Dr. Tony Evans, "Blessed Are the Spiritual Beggars" (Matthew 5:3)https://go.tonyevans.org/tony-evans-sermons/blessed-are-the-spiritual-beggars• Follow this link to a resource from Zondervan Academic on the Beatitutes:https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes• Follow this link to a resource on the Beatitudes from BibleGateway:https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2022/08/what-are-the-beatitudes-why-are-the-beatitudes-important/• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to a resource from Zondervan Academic: https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to the web version of Barclay's Commentary on the New Testament: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb.html• THIS LINK is a downloadable PDF of Barclay's Commentary _______________ Listen to the Teaching“The Beatitudes: Blessing on Purpose”

Jesus’ first in a series of sermons (teachings) from Matthew 5:3-12 is called “The Beatitudes.” (Re-read these verses)

In these statements of blessings (Beatitudes), Jesus did not speak of what WILL BE, He spoke of WHAT IS. As a Christ follower, always think of blessing in the present tense, not in the future tense.

Definition of blessing: (Greek μακάριος transliterated, makarios)

To speak well of, to invoke blessings upon, to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on.

We live in a world where circumstances can incite concerns and fear. It has been said that the most basic human instinct is survival. However, a survival mentality creates a feeling of insecurity, nervousness, and uncertainty. Mass media and social media contributes to that fear and uncertainty. For example, cities are described as "murder capitals.” Some people still fear COVID vaccines. A recent winter weather event was called a "bomb cyclone” – something that in all my decades of winter experience, I had never heard of!

While the circumstances we face in life are real, the state of our hearts and minds can be conditioned to live in the reality of the blessing of God. I shared this quote from Maya Angelou recently with someone who was feeling discouraged: “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”

There is a way to not be reduced by circumstances: It is through establishing a foundation of living in the reality of God’s blessing. That is the objective of these devotional series. We want to help you become established in the everyday and present power of Christ in your life.

On Day 3, we will highlight Jesus’ first beatitude and recognize the wealth of being "poor in spirit” from Matthew 5:3. Jesus taught, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for THEIRS IS the kingdom of heaven.

Notice that Jesus did not state what would be, he stated what is. He said, “…THEIRS IS the kingdom of heaven.” This is the pattern we will follow during this study in the beatitudes.

We will close today's lesson with another quote from William Barclay, who further defined the word blessed:

“Makarios describes that joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and the changes of life. Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and the changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy. The Christian blessedness is completely untouchable and unassailable.”

Reflection Question

Describe how you will maintain encouragement and a good outlook in this crazy world.

AN INTRODUCTION | by Bryan Hudson, D.Min. NOTE: This devotional will not be emailed or sent out by text everyday. Be sure to subscribe to this blog to receive your lesson by email daily. OR bookmark this webpage and visit.

_______________________________Welcome to the February 1-21 devotional exploring the Beatitudes of Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew chapters 5-7!The word “Beatitude” comes from the first words of Jesus' teaching beginning at Matthew 5:3, beati sunt, (in Latin) meaning“blessed are.” These words from Christ are much more than promises that “will be.” The beatitudes are exclamations or proclamations of the believer’s reality.Matthew 5:1, Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.As a Christ follower, when you read and study these brief statements, know that each summarizes a whole world of truth beyond the simple words. Embrace everything God is doing in your heart and life NOW! Elevate your thinking to match His blessing on your life. Don’t allow negativity to reduce the impact of God’s word.Embrace these marvelous words of William Barclay, from his Commentary entitled Barclay's Daily Study Bible.“The beatitudes are not pious hopes of what shall be; they are not glowing, but nebulous prophecies of some future bliss; they are congratulations on what is. The blessedness which belongs to the Christian is not a blessedness which is postponed to some future world of glory; it is a blessedness which exists here and now. It is not something into which the Christian will enter; it is something into which he has entered.”“The Beatitudes speak of that joy which seeks us through our pain, that joy which sorrow and loss, and pain and grief, are powerless to touch, that joy which shines through tears, and which nothing in life or death can take away.” As you journey with us over the next 21 days, consider spending some quality time reading and studying more about the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. I look forward to sharing devotional lessons along with Patricia Hudson, Elder Gaylan Owens, Chaplain Delores Epps, Min. Bertha Fields and Stacy Williams. RESOURCES:• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to a resource from Zondervan Academic: https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/beatitudes• Follow THIS LINK (or copy/paste) to the web version of Barclay's Commentary on the New Testament: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb.html• THIS LINK is a downloadable PDF of Barclay's Commentary' REFLECTION QUESTIONS:1. What do you expect to gain from the Beatitudes over the next 21 Days?2. Why is it important to elevate your thinking to match Jesus' words? ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON: ___________________________ Listen to the Teaching“The Beatitudes: Blessing on Purpose”

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Where It All Started: Prayer

Luke 6:12,Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:

The gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as the King of the kingdom of Heaven

What we call The Sermon on the Mount was the foundational teaching to the lives, character, and work of Jesus’ disciples – then and now.

Matthew 5:1, Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him

This is the first use of the word “disciple” in the gospels.
A disciple is a learner.
Are you a learner or a knower?

Matthew 5:2, And he began to teach them.

KJV, “He opened his mount and taught them.”

Two ways to understand what Jesus did:

Something that was completed in the past (aorist verb tense)
Something that was repeated, continuous, or habitual action in past time (imperfect verb tense)

The Sermon on the Mount is not one sermon of Jesus given at one particular time and on one particular occasion.

It is the essence of all that Jesus continuously and habitually taught his disciples.

Beatitudes Are More than “Will Be”

Beatitudes Are “What is”

Definition: μακάριος

makarios

To speak well of, to invoke blessings upon a person, to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on.

“The beatitudes speak of that joy which seeks us through our pain, that joy which sorrow and loss, and pain and grief, are powerless to touch, that joy which shines through tears, and which nothing in life or death can take away.”(Willam Barclay Commentary)

Listen to Full Message from Sunday, January 22, 2023Faith Refresher for 2023 – Part Three: The Greatest is Love WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

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1 Corinthians 13:13, And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love

Faith Works by Love

Galatians 5:6

NKJV - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith workingthrough love.

NLV - If we belong to Jesus Christ, it means nothing to have or not to have gone through the religious act of becoming a Jew. But faith working through love is important.

NLT - For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

Love is the great motivator / Faith is the great activator.

How to Keep Your Love Warm

Love on purpose, not by feeling
Have good frames – See people, love people
Stay committed to truth (Divine and Objective)
Be merciful to receive mercy
Have the mind of Christ

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Message from Sunday, January 16, 2023

Faith Refresher for 2023 – Part Two: What is Hope?

Examples of Hope From the Civil Rights Movement

WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING

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Hebrews 11:6, Without faith it is impossible to please God,because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

Colossians 1:26-27 (J.B. PHILLIPS)

They are those to whom God has planned to give a vision of the full wonder and splendor of his secret plan for the sons of men. And the secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.

We all benefit from the faith, hope, and actions of others. But we tend not to notice especially when our lives have become “normal.”

The key is to remember that there are people, perhaps people you know, whose lives are not “normal.”

Dr. King wrote in his letter from the Birmingham jail:

“We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom. Abused and scorned though we may be, our destiny is tied up with America's destiny. Before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence across the pages of history, we were here.”

WHAT IS HOPE?

A picture of something good that can happen
Confident expectation
Anticipation of good
“Framing” or re-framing yourself and your circumstances

In the social sciences, framing is comprised of concepts and perspectives on how individuals, and groups organize, perceive, and communicate their view of reality.

Perception is often not reality.

Present yourself to God / in your frame, you belong to God
Do not be conformed / don’t accept a frame that does not belong to you
Think soberly / you don't let everything into the frame of your mind
Walk in faith / you trust what God can do more than anything else

This is my tribute to Dr. King on his holiday. Will share my thoughts from portions of his letter from the Birmingham Jail on how we may benefit from his wisdom in our day.

Read his entire letter, originally published in The Atlantic, August 1963: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/02/letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/552461/

Content from Chapter Seven of my book: "Biblical & Social Justice: What Is it? An Everyday Person’s Guide to Understanding Justice And the Role of the Church in Our Society"

Available in print and Kindle editions on Amazon. Learn more at, https://biblicaljusticebook.com

TOPICS COVERED FROM REV. DR. KING'S LETTER FROM THE BIRMINGHAM JAIL

Preparing to RespondNot One Man, an Inevitable Force for ChangePrinciples of ActionA Network of MutualityPhilosophical FoundationWhy We Won’t WaitTwo Kinds of LawsUnjust Laws Damage the SoulDismantling Injustice ArgumentsGenuine Law and OrderExamples of Civil DisobedienceThe Sacrifices of Leaders Martin Luther King, the PastorUsing Christ to Hinder Fellow ChristiansLoss of Authenticity for the American ChurchLooking for the “church Within the ChurchOppression Cannot ContinueConfidence in the Promise of America Optimism in the Face of Despair

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Message from Sunday, January 8, 2023

"Crowned with Goodness! What is Faith? A Faith Refresher for 2023"

WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE TEACHING

Visit the New Covenant Church website!

www.NewCovenant.org

"You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance.” (Psalm 65:11)

“You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance.” (Psalm 65:11)In the Hebrew, the word crown means to surround. During 2022, God surrounded you with Himself and good things. In 2023 He wants to do the same and more...crown or surround the year and you with His goodness. He wants your paths to drip with the abundance of provision.This does not mean you did not face challenges in 2022 or avoid challenges and difficulties in 2023. The key is: He said that He will surround you.In the story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6, the servant awoke to see that the two of them were surrounded by the armies of the enemy. But Elisha said, "There are more with us than with them." The servant thought Elisha had lost his mind until He prayed that the Lord would open his eyes that he may see.When his spiritual eyes were open, his natural eyes could see that God had crowned them or surrounded them with armies of Angels, who were more numerous and vastly more powerful than the armies of men.The biggest part of 2023 will be your perspective. What will you see? Will you believe that God has crowned the new year and surrounds you, or will you only stare at the problems, look for the negatives, and allow people and circumstances to sap your energy?Say this out loud: God has crowned my year with His goodness. My paths drip with abundance!Below, you'll find a video link to highlights from our Community Christmas Jesus Celebration and Outreach held at two churches December 10 & 17. You will notice that God helped us to crown or surround people with joy and gifts! Let us carry that generous and serving spirit into the new year.

LINK TO HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO I trust you have been blessed by Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute this year! If you have, consider sowing a seed. God Bless! Donate to New Covenant Church: https://cash.app/$newcovenantindySow seed to Pastor Bryan Hudson, https://cash.app/$BryanIndyGod Bless and Be Encouraged!~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

John 16:7, Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you

Did you know that Jesus was born to leave?

During the Christmas season we focus on and celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For those of us who are Christ followers, we are sensitive to the neglect of Christ during Christmas in our culture.

After the birth of Jesus in the manger, which was an animal feeding place, the scene shifts to an angel announcing the birth of Jesus to shepherds tending sheep in a field. While Jesus was born in a noisy place, the announcement of his birth was made in a quiet place. God still wants to speak to you and quiet places.

Luke 2:10 forward to the words of the angel, "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!"

Verse 13 reads, "Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

In all of the joy of Jesus' birth, we keep our focus on the reason for His birth. He came to bring great joy to all people. He came to glorify God and bring peace on earth, dwell in the hearts of people, and goodwill towards all.

We know that joy, peace, and goodwill are achieved only with a change of heart. These are virtues we are not born with and that we cannot produce on our own. Not even the productive and holy life that Jesus lived was enough to change the hearts of people. Jesus had to die, be buried, leave the earth, and send back the Holy Spirit to bring His promises to pass.

This is why Jesus said it was to our advantage that he would go away. As a man, even a Divine Man, Jesus was limited to being at one place at one time. Through the Holy Spirit, God causes the Spirit of Christ to dwell within those who have received him as Lord, and do works that bring joy, peace, and goodwill to all.

So during this Christmas, celebrate Christ birth, but don't forget to live in the reality of why Jesus came, lived, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.

He was born to leave, but for the greater purpose of sending God's power into your life.

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John 16:7, Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

Jesus was born to help and save.

He came to depart for a greater purpose.

He sent The Great Helper. The Holy Spirit.

The Helper that Jesus promised is not like most help that is limited and fails to empower.
People tend to overrate their ability to help us.
People also tend to underrate what God can do.
Whatever fails to empower people too often enables them

Don’t Get HELPING and ENABLING Twisted

An enabler is a person who, by their actions, makes it easier for another person to continue their non-productive or self-destructive behavior.

Jesus refused to be an enabler.

After feeding the multitudes. Look at what Jesus said to the people the next day…

John 6:24, When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

Jesus does not come to ENABLE people.

Jesus came to EMPOWER people.

The Holy Spirit EMPOWERS people!

2 Corinthians 1:3, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

The Christmas holiday is a wonderful time of the year.

It is also a time of challenge for many. We remember loved ones who are not with us this year. We may have experienced changes in our family such as children growing up and moving away. Some may spend Christmas day alone. Some may be concerned about how they going to pay for Christmas gifts or not be on the receiving end of gifts.

All of this is a matter of perspective. The old cliché is still true, "Jesus is the reason for the season."

In our text, the Apostle Paul wrote about our Heavenly Father is a God of compassion and comfort. The word comfort is mentioned four times in these two verses. The idea is not about being comfortable as sitting in an easy chair or on a sofa.

The word comfort here is best defined as: A calling to one’s side, encouragement, consolation, that which affords refreshment.

What the Lord wants to do for you is come to your side, encourage, console, and refresh you. Then Paul wrote: "So that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

Christmas is first a time of receiving, not only gifts from people, but compassion and comfort, or help, from the Lord. This is why Jesus came. He is God's gift to humanity.

Christmas is also a time of giving, not of just material things, but of the things that money cannot buy. As the angels said to the shepherds in the field on the night Jesus was born,

The Gospel of Luke 11:10 reads, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem...13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying 14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

That is the perspective we want to have.

God bless, have a great day, and be encouraged!

Isaiah 8:11 (NLT)The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. 12 “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.13 Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble.14 He will keep you safe.

How do you think affects how you feel, how you act, and your outlook on life. Through the prophet Isaiah, God told His people back then (and us today), "Not to think like everyone else does."

The key to good thinking, is being intentional about how, where, and when to focus your mind. Rather than being worried about what NOT to think, focus your heart and mind upon the "Lord of Heaven's armies" or upon God's resources. When one's mind is not submitted to God, conspiracies become attractive and fear drives out hope and faith.

When I studied Spanish, we reached a level where we mostly only spoke Spanish during the class. Immersion is the very best way to master a new language, or any skilled task. Immersing (or baptizing) your mind with God's presence and becoming renewed in your mind through His word, will make the biggest difference in your life!

God bless, have a great day, and be encouraged!

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Isaiah 8:11 (NLT), The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. 12 “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.13 Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble.14 He will keep you safe.

ADVENT

In light of Jesus coming into this world, we should change our thinking.
Think less as the present world would have you to think.
Shape your thinking around the promise and power of Christ our Savior and Redeemer.

What is Compassion?

Compassion is Love and Empathy in Action

2 Corinthians 1:3, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion [mercies] and the God of all comfort, 4 who comfortsus in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

What is Comfort?

Definition: παράκλησις

paraklēsis

A calling to one’s side, summons (esp. for help), supplication, entreaty, exhortation, admonition, encouragement, consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords refreshment

Matthew 14:14, And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 15 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

Compassion Requires and Builds Courage

Jesus commanded His disciples to feed the people. Their reaction showed apprehension and fear.

Matthew 14:16, But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”

2 TIMOTHY 1:5, I’m reminded of your authentic faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. I’m sure that this faith is also inside you.

In this second letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul addressed him in a very personal way. Paul reflected on Timothy's faith in God. In doing so he identified the legacy of faith proceeding from both his grandmother and mother. He even knew their names, Lois and Eunice.

On November 29, I celebrated another birthday. While I saw my entire family on Thanksgiving day on the 24th, it was great to have dinner with my wife, my father, and two of our children who live in the city. Birthdays are an obvious reminder that we are blessed with the gift of life. It is also reminder of the blessing of life givers-–– our parents and life givers who extend back through our grandparents and all of our ancestors.

What we carry forward through our lives should be a reflection of the grace of God and the best attributes of our parents and grandparents. Now that I have the blessing of hindsight, it is easy to see the imprint of my maternal grandfather Rev. Ray Elijah Hudson, who was also my first pastor in mentor, my maternal grandmother Amanda, my maternal grandfather and grandmother William and Essie Hayden (who were also Gospel singers and musicians). I also think about my maternal great grandfather, Reverend Frederick Williams.

One of the birthday greetings I received read, "I am thankful for knowing you and God having you in this world!" The thought of living one's life in the present world creates the feeling of hope, and expectation that one's life is making a positive impact on people in our world. On our birthday when we celebrate having life, we can also celebrate giving life, not only in parenting, but enriching others.

As we are also in the midst of the Christmas season, I cannot think of a better gift than giving hope and enriching the lives of people. I think this is the summary of the legacy looking back over my family. They were all people living life in order to give life to others.

We are all life givers.

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1 Thessalonians 5:18, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 1:12 (NIV), ALWAYS THANKING THE FATHER. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

Giving thanks opens your heart and mind to God and to His supply quicker than anything else.

Colossians 1:13

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

There are four keys to this transfer

It is a transference from darkness to light. Without God men grope and stumble as if walking in the dark. They know not what to do; they know not where they are going. God has given us a light by which to live and by which to die.
It is a transference from slavery to freedom. In Jesus Christ there is liberation There are four keys to this transfer
It is a transference from condemnation to forgiveness. He knows now that he is no longer a condemned criminal at God's judgment seat, but a lost son for whom the way home is always open.
It is a transference from the power of Satan to the power of God. Through Jesus Christ man is liberated from the grip of Satan and is able to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

Psalm 89:15, Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. 16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted.

We know the thanksgiving holiday in the USA is Thursday, November 23, but we know that we give thanks to God every day. This is one of the few holidays in which is appropriate practice and celebrate every day.

Thanksgiving is foundational. One of my sayings is this: "Every good things happens on a Firm Foundation."

David wrote in psalm 100:4, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Be thankful to him and bless his name."

Giving thanks positions your heart, mind, and personality on the firm foundation of God's goodness and grace. The act of giving thanks clears the heart, settles the mind, and puts your emotions into balance.

For a believer, not giving thanks is injurious to your heart and mind:

Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:21, For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Think of giving thanks as a good rain that washes dust and dirt off of your sidewalk and driveway. More simply, think of Thanksgiving as a car wash. The accumulation of dirt and debris hides the true appearance of something, or impedes your vision, when covering a windshield.

However you want to think about importance of Thanksgiving, know that a lack of giving thanks to God introduces empty thinking and allows foolishness to seem normal. As the Apostle Paul wrote, for someone to know God but not glorify him as God, or give thanks, is taking divinity into one's own hands. If we don't think God is worthy of our thanks or our attention, then our focus is misplaced.

So enter into God's presence every day in worship and prayer. Refresh yourself in that cleansing and encouraging encounter with Christ.

Let me Remind you pray for and support our 32nd Community Christmas Jesus celebration and outreach. Invite families in need, volunteer, and join us or December 17. Logon to www.newcovenant.org

God bless, have a great day, and be encouraged!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Psalm 19:14, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

We are living in a day of outrageous words and actions. Whatever person does begins with meditations of his heart, followed by words spoken and actions taken.

David gave a guideline to a better life and a better world. His prayer to God, and his determination, was that the meditations (or thoughts) of his heart would be acceptable to God. He also asked that the words of his mouth would be acceptable.

Self-awareness is the beginning of many good things. I'm not speaking of self-awareness in a conceded sense, but in the sense of judging our own thoughts, words, and actions.

We know that our words, which come from my thoughts, are important because of what Jesus said in Matthew 12:36, "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment".

Idle speaks of empty, useless, and thoughtless words. Jesus also said in Luke 6:45, "For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

This is way we pray, take devotional time with the Lord, are faithful in church and in all manner of Bible study. We want to develop the habit of godly self awareness, and then have the grace to make the words and meditations of our hearts acceptable to God.

God bless, have a great day, and be encouraged!

Registration is open for our 32nd community Christmas Jesus Celebration and Outreach. I invite you to recommend persons in need of Christmas help and encouragement to register. Use this link: https://www.newcovenant.org/communitychristmas

Acts 10:38, How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

The scripture reread describes how God and powered Jesus to do good and heal people who were oppressed. The root of the word “empower” is “power” which is: ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.

Power has to be gained, learned, imparted, or received from God and others. This is the basis of being empowered. Empowerment is defined as follows: The PROCESS of helping others obtain opportunities, develop skills, increase capacity and gain self-sufficiency.

Where would you be today without God and the people who empowered you? In the world were so many people were trying to pull something from you, thank God for those who try to put something in you. The nature of empowering is to provide the same ability and authority possessed by the giver.

When you reflect on it, there were pivotal moments and processes in life that empowered you. These moments came from parents, teachers, preachers, public servants, mentors, employers, and coaches. I have vivid memories of many of those pivotal moments.

Having been in ministry going on 44 years, 40 years of which serving as a pastor, my whole adult life has been given to empowering others. That's only because I have been in empowered by others.

Let me encourage you to get in position to receive what you need, increase your capacity, and then turn around and help somebody else grow, gain ability and capacity.

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Acts 10:35, But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

The root of the word “empower” is “power” which is: ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.

Power has to be gained, learned, imparted, or received from God and others. This is the basis of being empowered. The prefix “em-” or “en-” before an English word means, “in, into, within, inside”

Empowerment defined: The PROCESS of helping others obtain opportunities, develop skills, and gain self-sufficiency. “Empower” is an instance. Empowerment is the process.

Where would you be today without God and the people who empowered you?

Too many people and powers in life are only trying to extract something from you, not put anything into you.

We're living in a day where motivations are moving people to do very good and very poorly. What we are seeing is that a persons motivation is a culmination of their lifestyle, their upbringing, and most of all their belief system.

Motivations are not something that we can control if we've not already shaped our motivations towards godly thoughts and actions. As Jesus said, a tree is known by his fruit. So we need to pay attention to the kinds of trees that we are, because the fruit, the outcomes, of our lives are the result of the type of trees (or persons) we are.

Out of all the motivating forces in life, the greatest motivator is love. The apostle Paul wrote about the various spiritual gifts that Christ followers possess and exhibit. Many are motivated by their gifts, both spiritual and natural. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:13, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

God is love, so when we are motivated by love, we are being motivated by God's greatest attribute.

The Apostle Paul went on to write in 1 Corinthians 14

4, Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 [love] does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, [love] is not provoked, [love] thinks no evil; 6 [love] does not rejoice in iniquity, [love] rejoices in the truth; 7 [love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails.

Love is the motivating power that never fails! Check the podcast and the video of my message from October 30, "Motivation: Why we do what we do"

God bless, have a great day and be encouraged.

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2 Corinthians 5:14, For the love of Christ compels [controls] us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

These questions goes to the heart of our motives or motivations

Why do people do what they do?
Why do we do what we do?
Why do you do things you are doing?

What We Know From Experience and Education

There are two motivational types: intrinsic and extrinsic

Intrinsic motivation (or internal motivation) comes from within

Extrinsic motivation (or external motivation) refers to external factors that drive you to do something.

There is Another, Higher, Motivation

Paul explained it this way to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

Jeremiah 32:26, Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

In this life, we have all come to learn that there are many hard things that we must endure. Someone observed that the older you get the greater the challenges, and I have found this to be true.

This does not only apply to personal challenges, but the challenge of serving and caring for others, including our parents as well as other family members as they age. Along with the greater responsibilities and the greater challenges come greater Grace.

As the Lord said to Jeremiah, "Is there anything too hard for me?" That is a very strong reminder, because we tend to carry burdens that we were not designed to carry alone. Sometimes the thing we need to do is to lay our burdens down, and commit to allow Christ to do what we are unable to do.

Be sure to check the podcast from October 23, "God Is For You!" Part 4, concluding the series.

God bless, have a great day, and be encouraged.

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Jeremiah 32:26, Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

Micah 6:8 (NLT), O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Romans 8:37, Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Watch 60 Minutes Deion Sanders Interview

https://youtu.be/Jz1YfvAw5Ow

Glad to be back after a few weeks off preparing to celebrate our milestone 40th Pastoral and Church anniversary at New Covenant Church, serving God's people, as well as enjoying some vacation time in Europe with my wife Patricia. I know that many of my followers enjoy my photography, so on the blog I've posted some photos and video clips that you might enjoy.

With all the pressures and challenges of life, it is essential and comforting to know God is for us. This is especially true when we are paying attention to Him. He loves us regardless of our state, but our goal is to be pleasing to the Lord. He draws near to us when we draw near to him.

I would like to share an insight from last Sunday's message in which we talked about solutions, answers, and hope. I used the phrase "There is an app for that." This became a parable for experiences during our vacation in which almost everything we did was helped by using an app on my iPhone. Life also has apps or applications of the heart and mind. We discussed this in the lesson on Sunday. Check out the podcast or view on our YouTube channel.

How we think, or our type of mindset, is a very important factor to the quality of our lives. It's important to have something that I will call "a solution mindset." Let me share a Scripture with you and explain what I mean.

Isaiah 59:19 reads, "So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him."

It is an encouraging thought that when the enemy comes in like a flood the Spirit of God raises up a standard. But I think there's a better way to look at this Scripture, especially in light of the fact that original Bible languages did not include punctuation. In our first reading the enemy is characterized as a flood coming in.

Let me offer this alternative reading of Isaiah 59:19:

When the enemy comes in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

I'm not saying this reading is correct and the other one is wrong, this is an example of developing a solution mindset where we don't place as much emphasis on the trouble as on the answer. I like to think that it is the Spirit of God who brings the flood of blessing more than the enemy bringing a flood of trouble.

I like this quote from a book entitled The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

“Just because other people say that something is hopeless or crazy or broken to pieces doesn’t mean it is. We decide what story to tell ourselves.”

The more you realize that God is for you, the more you will see that His solutions answers and hope are bigger than the problems we face.

Have a great day, God bless, and be encouraged!

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Romans 8:31, What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Develop a Solution Mindset

Isaiah 59:19, So shall they fear. The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

Consider this Scripture another way:

Isaiah 59:19, When the enemy comes in, like a flood the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

Quotes From

The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

“Just because other people say that something is hopeless or crazy or broken to pieces doesn’t mean it is. We decide what story to tell ourselves.”

“You can take the trouble you’re dealing with and use it as an opportunity to focus on the present moment.”

Jesus often spoke in parables. I am going to use parables today.

Parables were a way to convey principles in an allegoric story that people could understand and relate to.

A parable is a teaching method using the familiar to illustrate unfamiliar concepts.

The term app is short for application.

It is defined as:

A computer program that is designed for a particular purpose
A program that you can download onto a mobile phone and use anytime

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Romans 8:31: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

What is a Testimony?

μαρτύριον - marturion: It is a witness as borne; a declaration of facts

Webster’s Dictionary: A solemn declaration usually made orally by a witness

A testimony is the statement of your faith. What you believe.
A testimony is an explanation of what God has done in your life.
A testimony represents your chosen lifestyle. Your reputation.
A testimony encompasses your purpose and future actions.

Speaking is a kingdom principle. Of course, we think it, but there is something divine in saying it. Speaking is consistent with the nature of God.

Genesis 1:1, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

Matthew 12:36, But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

Psalm 19:14, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

1 Samuel 17:34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

One of the great dangers for Christians is complacency. Complacency is defined as: “A feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of a need” Paul offers a powerful parallel using the word “sleep.” When we sleep we are unaware of our surroundings, oblivious to others, and unable to respond.

Christ Followers do not want to be “asleep in the light,” but alert and ready to serve God. While believers do not have darkness inside of them, we do not want to operate in darkness by failing to work with Christ or letting God have His way. Sometimes the works of darkness we need to cast off are things like simple distractions to living in God’s light. Simple things like watching too much television, engaging in too much leisure, or even constantly interacting on Facebook and social media can put us to sleep spiritually. None of these activities is wrong, but anything can become darkness when we fail to see the light of what God wants us to do.

The “armor of light” is a beautiful phrase putting us in the mind of being clothed with the power and grace of God. We are all wearing armor that both protects us and empowers us.

Reflection Question: What are 1-3 ways that you need to “wake up?”

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 12:9, Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

When the Spirit of Christ abides in you, God’s grace shapes your lifestyle. When the Bible provides direct instructions on how to live, understand that everything God requires, He has already provided. We are recognized by our faith and lifestyle. As Jesus said, “A tree is known by its fruit” (Luke 6:44). We are the “planting of the Lord.” (Isaiah 61:3)

God does not ask you to do anything that is not already part of your character in Christ. If this were not true, you would not be able to do what He asks. For example, in our own strength, it is not possible to be “kindly affectionate with brotherly love.” This is a virtue, like all the others, that comes from the grace of God within us.

You can always do what God said you can do!

Reflection Question: How is God helping you to help others?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Romans 8:28 is one of the most abused the scriptures in the Bible. Too often it is used as a catchall or a cliche, something for which God’s word was never intended. God is certainly merciful towards us, but if I write a bad check and pass it on nothing good will come of it! As a matter fact, it could result in a criminal prosecution. This is not was Romans 8:28 is talking about.

This text was not intended to cover our mistakes. This text, and all of God’s word, is given to encourage and teach us. The main focus of the text is not only “all things work together for good” but “those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” and “be conformed to the image of His Son.”

God’s purpose is the foundation of your purpose. God is deeply concerned about the circumstances of your life, but He frames your life in the larger context of His purpose. First we are predestined, which means that before you were born of God had a plan for you. Second, we are called, which means He gives us the opportunity to follow him through Christ. Third, we are justified which means He makes us righteous through the redemptive gift of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fourth, you are glorified meaning that you enter into the purposes for which you were born.

Reflection Question: What are the two qualifications having all things work together for good?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 11:34, “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” 35 “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?” 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

I am amazed and amused at how people seem to think they can always speak for God or seem to convey that they understand Him more than others. It is certainly true that we can learn of the Lord and share His word with others, but no one person knows everything. No one helps God!

The entirety of Romans 11 addresses many profound topics such as God’s dealings with His chosen people Israel and the mystery of how He has “grafted in” Gentiles (non-Jews). The chapter is dense with theological truth and doctrine. At the end of the chapter, Paul concludes by writing the following: “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” (v. 36)

In our lives, is appropriate to think, ponder, and seek to understand God’s words and God’s ways. But there comes a time when you reach an end of your thinking and understanding. At that time, the best thing we can do is trust God and worship Him as the one who knows all things!

Reflection Question: What should you do when you come to the end of your understanding?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. We are never in a position where we need to be conceited, brag, or try to “show off” to impress others. You are already exactly the person that God had in mind! In a world where people are confused about their identity and sometimes seek to assume the identity of others such as celebrities, we have the opportunity to discover our unique “measure of faith.” Your measure of faith are the abilities, assignments, and opportunities God has made available to you. God has given everything you need to serve Him. One of the great blessings of serving God is summed up in the phrase, “where God guides He provides.” It is truly amazing how God can provide faith and provision for everything He wants you to do. It is also amazing that our individual gifting results in stronger coordination and collaboration as the body of Christ. We are a team and a family, each having individual responsibility resulting in the fulfillment of greater collective purpose. Reflection Question: What is your measure of faith? Key insight I gained today: Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Continuing from the previous lesson, we learn from this text that faith can only come from the Word of God. Just as people can only earn college degrees from learning the content during college classes, God’s “content” is learned from the Bible and through people who preach/teach the word.

People who don’t hear or take the opportunity to obey the Gospel cannot be saved, though God continues to extend His mercy. This is why the apostle Paul extensively traveled his world preaching and planting churches. That is why we continue to send missionaries around the world to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ . When people hear God’s word they can have faith to believe Him for salvation and for everything else God wants to do.

Reflection Question: What and who are your sources for hearing God’s Word?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 10:6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “’Who will descend into the abyss?’”(that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

Genuine faith in God requires neither “signs” nor our “help” to fulfill God’s word. We don’t need Jesus to come down from heaven. We don’t need to go to heaven to see Him. If He was still in the grave, we would not have to go to that place to bring Him up. God’s word and promises have their own power.

Genuine faith does not demand external evidence. The beauty and simplicity of the faith is that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to make it possible for us receive from God by believing and speaking.

Religion demands that people do something to prove their earnestness to God. Cults only require allegiance to a person.

For the person who wants new life in Christ, they only need to receive what Jesus has already provided. Not only has God provided salvation, He has provided the “measure of faith” to receive it. For the person coming to faith in Christ and for believers who already serve Christ, the word of faith is in your mouth and heart.

This is not some magical formula, it is not a particular Christian movement, it is simply the way that we access the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8 says “we are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast.”

Something that is provided by the grace of God can only be received by faith...and that faith begins with believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth. God does the rest!

Reflection Question: Why does faith speak? What does faith say?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

When we consider everything God has done, said, promised, and provided there’s only one conclusion: God is for you and no one can successfully be against you!

This is why it is important to know what God has done, said, promised, and provided. This is why we read the Bible, go to church, have a pastor, participate Bible studies, and do personal study and devotions. We’re not trying to “earn” favor with God, we are simply living as disciples who want to learn and grow.

Place a high priority on spending time with God and studying His word.

Reflection Question: Why is God for you?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

It is very important to have proper perspective in life. How we perceive our life can determine our reality and influence our circumstances. The Apostle Paul endured a lot of suffering–much more than most of us will endure in a lifetime. Suffering and difficulties have a way of reshaping our thinking and putting us into a negative mindset, if we allow it. That’s the danger of suffering, not only what we’re going through (which will pass!) but the false sense that the suffering is defining our life.

Paul states that the sufferings of the present time cannot be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. There’s the key: Focus on what God is revealing...not on the suffering! I’ve come to understand that the revealing of that glory is not only later in heaven, but a lot of that glory happens now while we are yet on earth. That “glory” is not some mist or other temporary manifestation. God’s glory is His purpose and presence revealed in and through your life.

God has the unique ability to turn “ashes into beauty.” He can transform our darkness to light.

Reflection Question: What glory is being revealed in you?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Patricia Hudson – First Lady, New Covenant Church

NCC Covenant Women's Fellowship Meeting

Group discussion on Romans Chapter Five

www.NewCovenant.org

Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

It is important to remember that as a Christ Follower, you operate under a different set of laws and principles. When I travel to places like Africa or England, I am reminded every moment of every day that I am in a foreign country. I recognize and operate according to the laws of the host country, such as driving on the left side of the road in England

In your life in Christ, you have the opportunity to live by something called “the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ.” This is exactly what it sounds like. It is most certainly as good as it sounds! It is the Holy Spirit, it is God’s life in Christ, and it is powerful! After more than 38 years of living a Christian life I’m still discovering the benefits of the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ in every part of life and ministry. It is something better experienced than explained.

Christ Followers have been delivered from the law of sin and death. This is as bad as it sounds. It is the cycle of defeat that we left behind when coming to Christ. Today, we want to introduce others to Jesus and to the many benefits of the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ.

Reflection Question: What is the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

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John 8:31, Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

Paul used the word “steward” which is oikonomos (οἰκονόμος) in the Greek. It was a word understood by people in his day. Oikonomos was the “major domo” or the person in charge of the administration of the house or estate.

Most importantly, a good steward received an unlimited supply.

Romans 7:6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

In the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul makes the argument that the best way to live a new life is to remember that you’re dead to the old life. This is possible because we are in fact dead to the old life because of what Jesus has done for us.

In every day life “newness” looks like this: If you were a person given to arguing with somebody who disagreed with you, because of Jesus Christ you realize that the old argumentative person is now dead and inactive. When the opportunity comes to argue with someone, “newness” reminds you to love others and do good for them. Jesus’ “newness” inside of you responds before the habits of the “old you” kick in.

Reflection Question: In what ways have your old ways been replaced by “newness of life?”

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 6:13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Christians sometimes struggle with living righteously. Even though we are righteous and in right standing with God, there is the challenge to live the right way. However, the key is to not “try” to be righteous, but let God’s grace work in you.

Living better is a matter of growing stronger in our walk with Jesus Christ. More than anything else, it is recognizing that sin doesn’t have actual power over you. In Christ, sin only has the power that we give it, because it is already defeated. Jesus also delivered us from something called a “sin consciousness” (Hebrews. 10:2) which is the false feeling that we are still somehow sinners. No, you are the righteousness of God in Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

People who are not Christians cannot stop themselves from sinning. Christians already have the power to live victoriously. We only need to remember this truth: “dead men do not sin.” We gain strength, not from “fighting” bad impulses, but from knowing and exercising the grace we already have. Think of it like this, when you are about serving God and “front-sliding,” there is no time for “back-sliding.”

Reflection Question: Why are you dead to sin?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Water baptism is an outward demonstration of the inward work of God. When you received Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit baptized you into the body of Christ. You became a part of Jesus and He became a part of you. What occurred is nothing less than a miracle!

Going down in the water symbolize the burial of the old person, it also symbolized being immersed into Jesus Christ. Coming up out of the water symbolized being raised from the dead. The amazing result of all of this is that you can “walk in newness of life.”

In a life and world full of old, tired things, look for the newness God has provided! When you expect it, you will see it and often be pleasantly surprised.

Reflection Question: What is the significance of water baptism. How are you experiencing “newness” in your life?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 5:17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Adam, as the progenitor of the human race, is responsible for leaving us a legacy of what we call the “sin nature.” We inherited the desire to sin which resulted in death reigning over humanity.

Jesus, who is called the “last Adam” (1 Cor. 15:45) has reversed the curse. Jesus empowered us to be able to experience an abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness.

The outcome of this grace and gift is that through Christ you can reign in life! We do not reign over people, but we can reign over ourselves and our circumstances.

Because of Jesus, we are no longer victims. We are victors!

Reflection Question: How do you “reign in life” through Christ?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God

Self-righteousness produces no peace, only religious arrogance. Being justified (made righteous) by God produces peace. There is a peace in life that only Jesus Christ can give. Furthermore, faith in God has also provided access into the grace of God. Grace is God’s favor and includes everything He makes available to you. I like to think of God’s grace as His “operational power.”

Living in the grace of God is like having access to a great warehouse full of provisions that you can use when you need it. The knowledge and reality of possessing God’s grace is both humbling and a cause for rejoicing!

Reflection Question: What is grace?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all...20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

God promised to give Abraham and his wife a child. That’s not remarkable until you realize that Abraham was 99 years old and his wife Sarah was 90 years old! She was long past the childbearing years, but that did not prevent God from doing what He wanted to do for them and for His own purpose.

The faith that Abraham showed toward God made him the “Father of Faith” for all of us. God’s grace made provision for Abraham and Sarah. Today, it is our privilege and responsibility to have faith in God... and He provides the faith to believe in Him.

The hardest thing we have to do is to believe that God can do what He promised! Just like Abraham, we only need to become persuaded that God can do what He said.

Reflection Question: What is the “hardest” thing about having faith in God?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 4:4 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

Abraham had no basis to boast because without God he could have done nothing...and the same is true for you and me. As stated in a previous lesson, faith in God is the basis for becoming righteous. Righteousness by faith is a gift and impartation of grace from God through Jesus Christ.

When people think they must work for salvation, they also think God is indebted to them. Example: If I do a job for you, I expect to be paid. If you do a big job for me, and do not charge me, I regard that as an underserved act of love and grace.

Jesus did the big job of saving us, changing our eternal destiny, and giving us purpose for life! He only wants you to say “thank you” and go out to become a witness to others.

Reflection Question: How does less work in our own strength bring more grace from God?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

One of the sure signs of self-righteousness is bragging about oneself in relation to being a Christian. If someone asked you, “How did you become a believer in Christ,” the answer does not include the good things you have done. The answer is all about what Jesus did for you.

We are justified neither by the Old Testament law nor by any other law invented by religion. We are justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Jesus made this possible.

Reflection Question: What does in mean to be “justified?”

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

In a day when people are blessed to receive the free gift of salvation by faith in Jesus, there are still those who believe they have to work for it. Worse, there are others who insist that you must live by their rules and lists of “dos and don’ts.”

Yes, we have all sinned and come short of God’s glory, but we don’t find the answer to any sin issue by doing any religion or religious practice. God loved us and Jesus gave His live to make salvation, redemption, and righteousness available to all.

Those who have received Jesus Christ have been made righteous and now desire to follow God. We have been “justified” which means “made righteous.”

The grace that saved you is the same grace that will motivate you to follow God and be obedient to God’s word.

Reflection Question: How is God’s grace at work in your life?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

DAY 2 Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

The message of the Gospel of Christ carries the power to change lives. It is a message of which we should never be ashamed. In fact, the best thing you’ve ever had the opportunity to know and share is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! The Good News of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is the power that produced salvation and the hope of our eternal future.

The Gospel produced righteousness that you could never achieve on your own. It is the gift of God along with the faith that God gave you to believe Him. “Faith to faith” describes your walk of faith from salvation to your daily life. “The just shall live by faith.”

Reflection Question: In relation to your faith walk, what do you need to stop talking about and begin talking about?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

____________________________ Order Your Copy of Romans Road on Amazon PRINT EDITION KINDLE EDITION

DAY 1 Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

One of the encouraging truths about our Christian life is that we are never alone. We are not islands unto ourselves. We are neither independent nor dependent. We are interdependent in both helping one another and being self-empowered.

We have great riches in Christ! We are complete in Him (Col. 2:10), but we also have the blessing of impartation from others. God uses others who can share insights and wisdom with us. Leaders, such as our pastors, help us discover new dimensions of God’s gifting within. Paul expressed his desire to spend time with believers to help them through instruction and training in God’s grace. We need our pastors, spiritual mentors, and fellow believers in the same way. We spend time in personal study and prayer for direct impartation through the Holy Spirit.

We also benefit greatly from participating in Bible study and other gatherings of believers where we can receive the word and grow stronger in Christ.

Reflection Question: Who does God use in your life to impart gifts and grace?

Key insight I gained today:

Today’s action item based on insight:

____________________________ Order Your Copy of Romans Road on Amazon PRINT EDITION KINDLE EDITION

Romans 8:2, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Join me for a daily devotional through selected verses from the Book of Romans. This will not be a thorough study from Romans, but inspirational insights to encourage you.

The text from each lesson from the book will be posted here and at www.BryanHudson.com. You can purchase the print of Kindle edition of the book at www.Amazon.com

Be inspired and encouraged each day beginning Thursday, September 1!

John 2:23, Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men

Friends are not simply attracted to your “signs.” (Outward)

Friends are attracted to your “standards.” (Heart)

We live in a celebrity culture. This doesn't mean that there's something bad about recognizing high profile persons. It's more about how people create mindsets centered around famous people.

During Jesus time on the earth, he was certainly a celebrity using today's standards. What we know about celebrities is that many of them are highly talented, highly skilled, and do great work. Professional athletes and great singers come to mind.

The problem with celebrity culture is the superficial mindsets of people who inflate that culture.

In our text, we read that many people believed when they saw the signs Jesus did such as healing people. There were many who were only attracted to the signs, or the outward displays, of God's power.

As we later learned after Jesus' miracle, or sign, of feeding thousands of people with a few fish and loaves of bread, God's greater purpose was to lead people to a better life in Christ. When people followed Jesus to his next destination, He said to them, "You've come over here because you ate food and were filled." He then said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

Returning to our text, we read that "Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because he know all men." –– People who were superficial sign seekers were not persons to whom Jesus would commit himself.

People who are attracted to signs are poor candidates for becoming disciples of Christ. Genuine disciples, or followers, of Christ are attracted to standards, not only signs.

It is okay to recognize the talent and skill of celebrity-level people, but don't fail to connect with Christ followers who offer you avenues to high standards and who are willing to directly serve you in the Spirit of Jesus.

God Bless and Be Encouraged!

Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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Proverbs 17:17, A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 18:24, A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Ecclesiastes 4:9, Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Friend definition: Companion, fellow, fellow-citizen

Friendship is a Covenant Issue

• It carries the burden of responsibility

• It carries the blessings of benefits

Friends are not simply attracted to your “signs.” (Outward)

Friends are attracted to your “standards.” (Heart)

John 2:23, Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,

Jesus set the standard of friendship

John 15:13, Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

James 1:22, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Last Sunday I concluded a series of teachings on the topic TODAY. The message was a summary entitled, "What Did We Learn? You can listen to the podcast, watch the video on YouTube, and download notes from all those teachings here on this blog.

As we reflected on what we learned, I remembered the training I received in my Masters of Education program at Indiana University. My program was called Instructional Systems Technology, and was focused on instructional design, which is developing instructional methods and learning materials to be used by those who teach. This was a masters program the Lord encourage me to do, and I have found it very helpful for ministry.

One of the many concepts that stayed with me is something called, Transfer of Learning.

Transfer of learning occurs when people apply information, strategies, and skills they have learned to a new situation or context. Transfer is not a discrete activity, but is rather an integral part of the learning process.

Essentially, learning occurs when students can practice what they have received through instruction, including whatever activities went along with it such as projects, examinations, and application to one's life.

The Apostle James wrote, "Be a doer of the word and not a hearer only." Until we do, we really haven't learned, and we truly do not know.

This is one of the reasons why I encourage our congregation to engage with the message after they've heard it. We post the messages to podcast, to YouTube, make notes downloadable, and sometimes include worksheets.

The idea of transfer of learning is a kingdom principal. Is there something you've heard that needs action? Remember, is not learning until it transfers into action.

God Bless and Be Encouraged!

by Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

www.BryanHudson.com

www.NewCovenant.org

This morning as I prayed about a theme and a Scripture in celebration of our 40th anniversary of church and pastoral ministry, and after some research I happened upon Psalm 33:11;

David wrote “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.”

I remember that early in my life as a Christ follower and early in ministry, I often read scriptures with a sense of hope and expectation of seeing the promises come to pass. At this point of life and ministry, I have seen God's promises fulfilled! As David wrote, "The plans of the Lord stand firm." Everything and everyone comes and goes, but God's plans continue to unfold .

Then we read, "The purposes of his heart through all generations." God is a God of purpose. This is a great word that more accurately describes what life is about. One of the themes of our ministry is "Equipping People of Purpose."

Now, I'm the first to recognize that as a church, we is not done all that we could have done, and I have not become all that I could have been. But I'm very sure that God's will has been done and His purpose fulfilled.

At some point in life, we all discover the true measure of success is faithfulness to God, integrity, and loving people with everything within you.

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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John 4:35, You know the saying, “Four months between planting and harvest.” But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.

As we consider how God helps us, understand that in the Kingdom of God there is the principle of seedtime and harvest, sowing and reaping.

What will receive is ultimately an outcome of what we give. Not only in the area of finance, but also in the area of serving and refreshing others.

Proverbs 11:25 (NKJV), The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself

New International Version: A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

1 Corinthians 3:5 (NLT), After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.

Sometimes we reach people directly. At other times we reach people through people who are appointed to the work.

The reward is the same regardless if you do it or support another who is doing it.

Watch Conversation with Duncan Sabwa, Director of GFE Children's Home

How do you start your day?

Thank you for beginning part of your Wednesdays with a Firm foundation Inspiration Minute.

Many years ago in college, I took a couple of classes about writing computer software. There was a phrase that went, "Garbage in, garbage out." The idea was that if your software looked bad and ran poorly, it was because the programming was not good. Computer software will only operate in the way it was programmed.

Let me extend that example to say that God himself has written our program. And it is good. It was good going in, and it is good coming out. We want to complement and not corrupt what God has given.

As you begin your day, always start with a download of the Word, prayer, and presence of God. We want to avoid getting a download of social media, people's rants or news channels! We know there's a lot of garbage in some of that type of media.

Thinking about this a different way, we've all seen floods and raging out-of-control water. We've also seen flowing rivers that nourish its surroundings.

Wrote in Psalm 46, "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah 4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn."

So, at the beginning of today, and everyday, get into the river who streams shall make you glad. Get into the river where God is in the midst of it and you shall not be moved. Get into the river with God helps you at the break of dawn––which means, every day.

God bless and be encouraged!

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2 Corinthians 4:16 (Amplified Bible), Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day.

KEY POINT

One of the reasons for TODAY is this:

Today is when life begins again!

“Renewed day by day…”

Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;

God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

KEY POINT

There two forces await us everyday

Troubled Streams (Perishing)
Streams That Make Glad (Renewing)

Where/how you focus as your day begins determines which stream you will enter into.

WHAT COMES EVERY DAY?

Mercy: God’s gift before and after faith. Prevention or lessening of consequences following our errors.

Lamentations 3:22-24, Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Benefits: Provision, protection, grace to function, etc.

Psalm 68:19, Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah

Matthew 6:11, Give us this day our daily bread.

Your Cross: Opportunity to place others higher than yourself. Carry responsibility deny yourself, follow Christ, and serve God’s purposes.

Luke 9:23, Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

Proverbs 8:34, Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors

TODAY: Reflection & Application

In what ways I am being renewed TODAY?
Why does my life begin again TODAY? (Not starting over)
What hinders my awareness of TODAY?
Who will I encourage/exhort TODAY?
What streams from God’s river make me glad TODAY?
What does MERCY mean to me TODAY?
What do GOD’S BENEFITS mean to me TODAY?
What does MY CROSS mean to me TODAY?

2 Corinthians 4:16 reads, Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

The Apostle Paul wrote that our inward person is being renewed day by day. From this Scripture comes the thought for today's Inspiration Minute:

TODAY is when life begins again! Make the most of it!

While outward and natural things are obviously changing and diminishing, your inward life in Christ is always renewing. Because this is true, try to think of every new day as an opportunity to begin life again. No, you're not starting over, but you are starting afresh.

The Amplified Bible version of 2 Corinthians 4:16 reads, Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day.

There ia a progressive renewal happening inside of you every day. Look for it. Focus on it. Prioritize something good God is doing in your life. Do it now. Do it TODAY.

God Bless and be encouraged!

2 Corinthians 4:16 (NKJV)

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

For the past five days, my wife and I have had two of our three grandchildren with us. We were also together with all three of our grands on a couple of occasions over the July 4 holiday weekend. The youngest granddaughter turned five months old on July 4. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) When I look at my grandchildren, I am first reminded of our four children when they were little, and of all of the trust they put in us as parents, and of all the hopes that we had for them. Each is now grown, living in his and her purpose, and doing very well. Spending this quality time with our grandchildren made it clearer how marvelous the grace of God is, and how much their parents love them, care for them, and provide positive experiences. It was a joy to see the creativity and positive energy of our five-year-old grandson and our seven-year-old granddaughter. They love to imagine, draw and create worlds in which to express their thoughts and dreams. We created a couple of videos in my home studio on green screen, in which my granddaughter scripted and shared her knowledge of animals and nature. She and her brother worked together, haggled a little bit, and made two fun videos talking about the attributes of elephants, zebras, cheetahs, and lions. It was actually informative. When a child's mind and heart is nourished and is open to Christ, they express the freedom and creativity of their Creator. This is one of the reasons why Jesus said "do not hinder them." Children represent the kingdom of God which is the source of hope, creativity, and life at its best. However you interact with children, as parents, grandparents, educators, or others, let us all be very intentional on providing the kind of life and environment in which children learn to love the Lord, become full of hope, eager to learn, and their God-given creativity and uniqueness. God Bless and Be Encouraged! Bryan Hudson, D. Min.

Psalm 37:3, Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

God makes promises to us. He does this because He wants to bless us and connect us to His faithfulness. Always remember that whatever God requires, He provides. Whenever we make a promise, such as to our children, we think it through because we have every intention to fulfill our promise and providing something good to our children. Many of God's promise are conditional, meaning that some type of response is needed. This is not required to prove our worthiness. God does this to involve us in the process of our blessing.

Many of us have been burned by people who promised, but never delivered. It is a painful experience that can affect your ability to trust again. While is an unfortunate reality in life with people, don't transfer that distrust or hesitancy to God. He always keeps His promises.

David wrote, "Trust also in Him, And He shall bring IT to pass." It is whatever you need or want that is consistent with the will of God.

Here are the conditions to this promise (again, whatever God requires, He provides): Trust (in the Lord), Do (good), Dwell (in the land), Feed (on His faithfulness), Delight (yourself in the Lord), Commit (Your way to the Lord), Trust (in Him).

Know that God will bring IT (whatever is needed) to pass in your life!

Below is a link to the full message, "Delight in the Lord: Receive His Promises"

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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Psalm 37:3, Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

Psalms 37:5 states, “He shall bring it to pass.”

What is “It?”

“It” is whatever you need or want that is consistent with the will of God.

Delight is a simple word with profound significance. This word is profound because delight reflects our desire, disposition, and direction.

Delight definition:

Take pleasure in, desire, incline to; to bend; favor, be (well) pleased, have pleasure

Sometimes we feel conflicted in our thoughts and desires of heart. Remember: “The thoughts of the righteous are right…” (Proverbs 12:5)

Our desires and thoughts are shaped by are obedience to God. Psalm 37:3-5,

Trust (in the Lord), Do (good), Dwell (in the land), Feed (on His faithfulness), Delight (yourself in the Lord), Commit (Your way to the Lord), Trust (in Him)

Psalm 103:13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Father's Day was Sunday, June 16. I was blessed to celebrate another Father's Day with my 85 year old dad, Horace Bryan Hudson. He is the greatest man I've ever known, and a man of great compassion. He was my model in being a father to our four wonderful children, and now, three grandchildren.

Our youngest son experienced his first Father's Day when he became a father when his wife gave birth to a beautiful little girl in February. My son, along with another first time father, shared reflections on their early experience of being a father. We also heard from two experienced fathers who were also grandfathers.

In our culture and community, we value those whom we call "father-like-ones," such as relatives, coaches, educators, and men in the church community. One of our men who spoke, a former high school principal and teacher, reflected on having served as a father-like-one to more than 3000 students in the course of his career.

As a pastor and community leader, I've also had the experience exercising compassion in serving young men and women, especially through 39 years as a pastor to our congregation and for 20 years of conducting summer media camps for youth.

I share all of this to highlight something about fathers that we often overlook: When we look as compassion as only an emotional response, we have difficulty seeing fathers in that light.

However, when we understand compassion in its more proper definition, we can see fathers in their true light. The best understanding of compassion is "love in action." When we think about the actions that men and father's take for their children and others, we can clearly see the compassion filled role of the father.

David compared the compassion of fathers to the compassion of God. In this we find one of the most significant purposes of fathers: To properly and lovingly represent God before the children and others. God is a God of compassion. He is a God of action, which He proved by sending Jesus Christ to be are Savior and Lord.

When we consider the lofty and seeming overwhelming requirements of fathers, I like always remind men of this very important truth: Whatever God requires, He provides.

So brothers, embrace your assignment of compassion because it is not only about emotion––which we have. It is more about love in action...and you know how to do that!

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Psalms 13:13, As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

Compassion is “love in action”

Proverbs 17:6, Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their father.

Proverbs 1:8, My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother;

FATHERS IN 3D

1 - A Father’s Destiny (Purpose)

2 - A Father’s Design

3 - A Father’s Duty

Our responsibility to our Father is to:

Listen to him

Learn from him

Lean on him

Love him

Psalms 16:2-4, O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Last Sunday, my wife and I recognized some young scholars as part of our church service called, Scholar's Sunday.Patricia had the idea to encourage students and graduates with a special recognition. Once again, we witnessed the power of encouragement. Included among the group of students advancing to higher grades where a high school graduate and a college graduate. I shared a special sermon in their honor, we presented each scholar with certificates of recognition, and enjoyed refreshments afterwards. My wife noted that many students had missed out on in-person recognitions the past two years because of COVID, so this spring was a return to celebrations and commencements. Their response to the recognitions confirmed in importance of empowering, recognizing, and giving words of wisdom to young people. In Psalms 16 God called His people, "Excellent Ones" and said that He delights in them. Excellent comes from the word, "Excel" which means "Go Beyond." Some of the keys I shared to going beyond in commencing and advancing in education included. 1. Stand in your space. Earn and demand respect. 2. Commit Yourself to God: Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” 3. Trust the Lord more than your own understanding: Proverbs 3:5-10 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." 4. Work for God, not only for people: Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” 5. You were built for purpose: Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Here is a link the entire message and video on Youtube. Let's make it a point to encourage young people as life long learners and scholars. It goes a long way towards motivating them to Go Beyond. God Bless and Be Encouraged!

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Psalms 16:2-4, O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

How to Commence and Advance

Stand in your space. Earn and demand respect

1 Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Commit Yourself to God

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

Trust the Lord more than your own understanding. Honor the Lord

Proverbs 3:5-10 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.”

Work for God, not only for people

Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

You were built for purpose

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

2022 Graduates & Scholars

Congratulations!

Your college degree, high school diploma, or passing to a higher grade is evidence of learning.

Your college degree, high school diploma is neither a shortcut in life nor an emblem of privilege. You still have to become skillful in your field and earn the professional respect of people who know and do more than you.

Don’t settle. #GoForward

This Saturday, June 11, I am one of the speakers at a leadership conference online. The link to the event is in this post, join us if you can. The theme is “Change and Transition.” (Conference info here)

There are many ways to think about change and transition, but I want to offer an example from David's life. In Psalms 42:3 David spoke of change in the negative. He said: My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” The pain of what he was going through felt like having tears for food day and night. He also said that others mocking him in saying, “Where is your God?”

I remember these words from a webinar that I was a part of a couple of years ago. Paul Scanlon said:

• Change is in inevitable. Transition is intentional. • Change is an event. Transition is a process that we enter into. • Change is unchosen. Change happens to us. Transition is how we respond to change.

David did not choose the negative change that happened to him, but his positive response became part of his transition out of the difficulty.

He said in Psalms 42:4, When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a holy feast.

David spoke of pouring out his soul within himself, which is a reference to casting his care on the Lord and putting his trust in God. Then he spoke of going into the house of God with others. He understood that transition always involves God, and it also involves others––but not just anybody. David said he would go into the house of God with those who had “The voice of joy and praise."

Notice when the negative changed happened to David, 1) he transitioned to a place of focusing on the Lord, 2) connected with encouraging people, and 3) found his voice of joy and praise.

Following is a link to my message from Sunday on this topic: How Joy Comes -- Finding Your Voice of Joy & Praise

Your change might be unchosen, but you transition through it by what you decide to do.

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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Psalms 42:1

1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.

Happiness is refreshing like lemonade

The Joy of the Lord is your strength

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit.
Joy is an artifact.
Joy is a result of something else.
Joy cannot be manufactured
Joy does not come by song, faith, or prayer
Joy is already present in the hearts of Christ Followers
Joy is a gift
Joy is inevitable (it has to come)

How Does Joy Come?

Joy is revealed through the Holy Spirit
Joy is revealed through favorable circumstances
Joy is revealed through encouraging people and encouraging environments

Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always [at all times]. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

Mark 4:24 ESV, And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.

Today, we don't lack information. We are literally flooded with all types of information as well as mis-information (which are inaccurate things), and even dis-information (which are things intended to mislead and deceive).

One of the keys going forward in life is deciding what and who to pay attention to. Jesus indicated that the measure, or standard of attention, that we use, becomes the determining factor and standard of what we get out of life. When it comes to paying attention to the Lord, this is especially important for getting the most out of your walk with Christ.

We all know what happens when we hear, but don't pay attention. In this season of graduations and academic advancement, we know there is no progress, no good grades, and no graduation, without paying attention to subjects. The measure or standard that a student uses leads to a higher standard of performance. Long ago I realized that students who we call "smart," are people who pay attention and create a high standard for themselves. This is something we can do at any age, in any area of life.

The reward of hearing, paying attention, and creating a standard for yourself, is living your life at a higher level.

In what ways do you need to go from hearing to paying attention? What measure or standards will you establish for yourself? As Jesus said, the outcome will be, "more will be added to you."

Zechariah 9: 2

Doom is certain for Hamath, near Damascus, and for the cities of Tyre and Sidon, though they are so clever. 11 “ As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.

Everyone is a prisoner, So you may as well be a Prisoner of Hope.

In a world were many are defined by hopelessness, we are people defined by our hope.

Prisoners of hope never stop seeing the best. Prisoners of hope cannot be bound by prisons of this world or captive circumstances created by people.

Acts 16:24-26

Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Prisoners of hope are believers in Jesus who recognize the limitation in their circumstances, but refuse to be limited in their expectations and actions. We have faith in a God who can do anything.

Too many people look at their circumstances and make the decision that they can do no more, or become no more than what they see. Like Jeremiah, those persons have to learn to “See well.”

Hebrews 6:19

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus is our “forerunner,” going first where He expects us to follow.

Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

People of hope...

Focus on the promises of God more than focusing on the conditions and circumstances around us
Understand that the world is full of darkness, but know that they are full of light
Keep their love warm even in a cold world
Are not distracted from serving God by the pressures and activities of this world
Have high expectations of good things to come
Follow the example of our father of faith, Abraham, who hoped against hope and fulfilled God’s purpose in his life. Like Paul and Silas
Have hope as a refuge and anchor for our souls. We are steady and steadfast in all conditions because Jesus has already entered the presence of God for us.

This is a very special week in the life of my wife and best friend Patricia Ann Hudson. On yesterday, May 24, she said goodbye to her students for the school year. Every teacher knows that feeling. Not only did she say goodbye to students she has educated since last August, she also said goodbye to a 41 year teaching career at Indianapolis Public Schools. It occurred to me today that while she said goodbye to being a school teacher, I know she will continue to educate at one level or another. Educators are lifelong learners and communicators of knowledge and understanding. This fruitful career was her journey, but Patricia did not travel alone. I was blessed to share in that four decade journey. We met and fell in love when she was an education student at Ball State University. We were married as 22 year olds and began to raise our first child, Michael. Patricia's first teaching assignment was four grade at Henry W. Longfellow Middle School #28. At that time we lived in far Northwest Indianapolis and the school was in Southeast indianapolis. Every day, with one car in the early days, we made that long drive to take Patricia to her school, our son to his grandmother was babysitting, and I went to work. We reversed that journey every week day in the late afternoon. 41 years later, we are blessed to have four children, all through college and in careers, and three grandchildren. One of our children, Jonathan, is an educator. Patricia also has hundreds of other children that she has loved and nurtured one year at a time. God has been faithful to her and to our family! The last two weeks have been full of tributes to my wife from educators, friends, family, New Covenant Church family, and students. It's very difficult to find the words to fully express the positive impact she's had on the lives of children and future educators she has mentored. I've shared with family and friends photos and videos of Patricia's career and in person tributes from the past two weeks. These are now memories and a legacy that will live in the hearts of minds of students, many now all grown up, for a lifetime. Well done Patricia and THANK YOU! God Bless and be Encouraged!

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Isaiah 55:8, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

A lot of things, occasions, and holidays were designed to influence our thinking and actions.

• Do you know why the National Anthem is sung at sporting events?

• Do you know why “In God We Trust” is on our currency?

• Southern Baptist Convention was founded in 1845 in support of slave-owning church members. James Boyce, the SBC seminary’s first president and a slave owner. He was chaplain to the Confederate Army.

• The “Lost Cause” and Confederate Monuments were establish to re-cast Confederate defeat as a moral victory. 1,747 monuments erected to honor defeated Confederate rebels and portray them as heroes, affirming white supremacy.

• Anti-Critical Race Theory actions are another example of influencing thinking. People brand CRT as “Marxist” There is work to “sanitize” (re-write) history and ease “guilty” feelings.

Critical Race Theory is an academic concept that is more than 40 years old. The core idea is that race is a social construct, and that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies. https://alsoacarpenter.com/2021/06/06/crt-commonplaces/

2 Peter 1:3, As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.

The “knowledge of God” as a relationship opens all kinds of doors. Things that pertain to “godliness,” come from relationship with God.

Some Higher Thoughts (From The Obstacle Is the Way - by Ryan Holiday)

See the opportunity within your obstacle: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
Failure shows us the way—by showing us what isn’t the way.
Everything we do matters
Think progress, not perfection.
Can we see that this “problem” presents an opportunity for a solution that we have long been waiting for?
Nothing can ever prevent you from trying. Ever.
We don’t get to choose what happens to us, but we can always choose how we feel about it P8. ersistence is an action. Perseverance is a matter of will. One is energy. The other, endurance. And, of course, they work in conjunction with each other.

Have you ever woke up feeling tired? Do you feel tired and tense over all?

Ecclesiastes10:10 reads, "If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success."

Imagine if you needed to cut wood with an ax or a saw. A dull tool would make that task more difficult and tiring. We know what it is like to use a dull knife in the kitchen, which can be a little dangerous. There was a dialogue between two people that went like this:

“How long you been sawing that tree?" "A long time!" "Why don’t you sharpen your saw?" "I’ve been too busy sawing!”

Sharpening your saw, resting well, and taking care of yourself, is one of the best things you can do to overcome the feeling of tiredness and tenseness. As Solomon said, "If the ax is dull, then he must use more strength." What we need is the strength of better habits and God's grace helping.

We read in Psalms, "He makes me lie down in green pastures." Think about this as an invitation, not something we have to do because of a crisis. As Solomon said, "Wisdom bring success."

Sharpen your saw. Some things you can do to help yourself includes getting good rest and developing better habits.

For your encouragement, I've included a link to my teaching entitled "Habit: The Faithful Servant - Seven Key Habits"

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Your Constant Companion

“I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am at your command. Half of the tasks that you do you may just as well turnover to me and I will do them quickly and correctly. I am easily managed, you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done. After a few lessons I will do it automatically.”

I am the servant of all great people, and alas, of all failures as well. Those who are great, I have made great. And those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, but I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin, it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will lay the work at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you. Who am I? I am called habit. Habit is my name.” (author unknown)

"A habit is the intersection between knowledge, skill and desire.Common sense is not always common practice."

Stephen Covey, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”

"Habit is either the best of servants or the worst of masters." ~ Nathaniel Emmon

Having an appreciation of time is a good habit. chronos (clock time) and kairos (opportunity time) Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE By Stephen Covey

Be proactive, not reactive
Begin with the end in mind
Put First Things First
Think Win Win
Seek first to understand, then to be understood
Synergize
Sharpen the Saw "If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success. "Eccl. 10:10

Mothers are so inspiring! On Mother's Day in our service, we listened to reflections from mothers and adult children about their mothers. Here is a YouTube link to those talks.

We also reflected on those whom we call in our community, “mother-like-ones.” Those are aunts, grandmothers, and mentors will fill the voids in a child's life who did not have the presence of their mother.

My mother, Gaynell Hudson, passed away 20 years ago, at what we now consider the young age of 65. As I shared last week, she was a towering figure of compassion and love, with this words, “Be Encouraged!” Last November I celebrated my 65th birthday. All the inspiring reflections caused all who were gathered together, and who watched on live stream, to reflect on our mothers and motherhood.

One major blessing of having been mothered, is a deeper sense of care and compassion for others. There is also the strong sense feeling protected and, and the willingness to do anything for your child, and for other loved one.

One of our young mothers reflected on the parallel between how a mother loves her child and how Christ loves us. She shared how much more clear God's love became after giving birth to her own child.

Maya Angelou wrote: “To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.”

This captures the almost indescribable impact of mothers, and mother like ones. We love our mothers and their memory.

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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Luke 1:46, And Mary said:“My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. 50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

Mary’s “song” (also called the “Magnificat”) was her testimony of praise and thanksgiving to God.

What is your song?

Your experiences and God’s dealings in your life are part of your song.

What are the elements of Mary’s song that made it special? What can we learn?

Rejoicing - “My soul magnifies the Lord”\

Regarding - “He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant”

Reflection - “He who is mighty has done great things for me”

Recognition - “As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

My Song:

I Rejoice in:

I Regard (my present state):

I Reflect on:

I Recognize (God’s covenant promises):

What I will Renew:

This is my 17th weekly Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute since January. I trust it has been an encouragement to you! I close every talk with the words "Be encouraged!" Those two words were spoken to me often by my late mother, Gaynell Hudson. As a matter fact, if you had any relationship with her you probably heard those same two words from her. Encouragement is a major theme in the Bible. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." We find these words in the book of Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." We are all presented with a package labeled "Discouragement." Let me encourage you to neither accept nor sign for that package. The reason God made encouragement a command is because He knew no one can be encouraged and avoid discouragement by oneself. That’s why we read in Joshua the God promised, “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Whatever God requires, He provides. It always seemed to me kind of unreasonable that God would ask me to do something that I cannot do. The good news is: Included with the command to be courageous, strong, and to not be discouraged, is God’s plan to partner with you in helping you to be courageous and strong. Maya Angelou wrote: “Thinking last night How to find my soul a home Where water is not thirsty And bread loaf is not stone I came up with one thing And I don't believe I'm wrong That nobody, But nobody Can make it out here alone.” Because you are never alone, I again say to you, Be Encouraged!

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1 Thessalonians 5:11, Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Joshua 1:9, Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Definition of Encourage

To strengthen; To grow strong; To prevail;

To make firm; To support; To repair; To hold, contain;

To strengthen oneself;

To put forth strength, use one's strength;

To withstand; To hold strongly with

Discourage Defined:

To deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; dishearten; to obstruct by opposition or difficulty, To hinder

To express or make clear disapproval of; frown upon

Overcoming discouragement does not come from fighting it.

Overcoming discouragement starts with agreeing with God who said, “Be strong and courageous.”

Success in any struggle doesn’t come from what you can or cannot do.

Success in any struggle comes down to who is with you. (God and people)

Again Paul said, Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thess. 5:11)

Keys to Encouragement

Fill your heart with hope. It’s like carrying an umbrella when rain in threatening
Encourage others, because you reap what you sow
Never feel attacked. Recognize that there are always more broken hearts than hard hearts. Hurt people, hurt people. Don’t take it personally
Surround yourself with encouraging voices and sources. You will need this to help discouraged people.
Look at beautiful things. Things that speak to you. Things that cannot be diminished. (Examples from nature)
Remember that courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is doing the right things even when you are afraid.
Always know that God is for you.

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Mark 10:13-16 New Living Translation (NLT) One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them

Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Six Types of Prayer Supplication - Questions, specific requests Intercession - Prayer for others Agreement - Two or more persons Thanksgiving - Worshiping God, giving thanks Dedication - Set apart for God’s purpose Prayer of Faith - For healing and major needs

The purpose of the prayer of dedication is to ask God to bless and set apart a person for His purposes. We can also offer prayers of dedication over facilities and anything used for God’s purpose.

Our responsibility is to never get between Jesus and children, but to train them to love God and recognize Him.

We all start out living on the faith our our parents. We learn how to live in the grace of our own faith in God.

Position, Protection, and Provision are the Blessings of Dedication.

The Gospel of Mark 10:15,“records these words of Jesus, "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." Verse 16 then reads, Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them We spend the first 21 years of our life growing out of childhood and into adulthood. It is interesting that Jesus said in order to enter the Kingdom of God, which is inclusive of Christ’s church and everything under His rule, we must receive it like a child. So why would you live your whole life just to become like a child? Jesus was not talking about maturity level, He was talking about attitude. On last Sunday we dedicated our 11-week-old grandchild, a beautiful little girl. As an infant, she is totally dependent on her parents. Even when she grows and becomes less dependent, she will still have complete trust in her parents. As a child, she won’t complicate anything about life. She will take everything on face value, she will be sincere and assume everyone around her is also sincere and genuine. So in all of our growing up and becoming mature, educated, and erudite, do not neglect to approach Jesus, and life, with the same attitude and disposition of a child. By this we will be able to get the most out of the kingdom of God. After all, in God’s sight, we are still children. God Bless the Be Encouraged! Bryan Hudson, D.Min

Every year following Easter I like to remind myself and others that Jesus' resurrection is still relevant. Holidays are wonderful. The only downside is we tend to leave the meaning of the holiday behind once the holiday is over. Easter or Resurrection Sunday is very different because what we celebrate is working for us every day. One of the Scriptures that brings this reality home is Ephesians 1:19, in which Paul wrote, "And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." There is something "exceedingly great" working for you and me! It was activated when Jesus rose from the dead. Overcoming death was a game changer. Jesus has power over death and gives life. God uses many elements in life to help us, from education, to medical science, to expert people, and more. Think of resurrection power as another element working on your behalf. As Christ followers, we find acceleration in the help and solutions that work on our behalf. Another proof of the present day power of resurrection is Romans 8:11, "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." Let this sink in: The same Spirit of God that raised Jesus from the dead 2000+ years ago is working in you today as a Christ follower!

God Bless and Be Encouraged!

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Philippians 3:10., That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Sometimes things seem “deep” and we end up feeling it is out of reach. What Jesus did for you and me is not deep.Some things are more powerful than we realize

Easter is not a celebration of religion. It is a warning to religion.

What would you do if you believed no one could hinder you?
What would you do if you did not wait for someone to tell you it could be done?
What would you do if you found out that Jesus gives you direct access to God and all His blessings?

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

What is Resurrection Power?

Ephesians 1:19 , And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Jesus’ resurrection is not only a past event, but a present day power!

That's why we say, "He IS risen," not he WAS risen. Jesus provided something that we could never provide for ourselves. Try to understand “Resurrection Life” as a way of living.

“Resurrection” is from the biblical Greek word: “Anastasis”

It is a combination of two words meaning: “up” and “to cause to stand.”

Jesus will take you as you are and where you are.

Jesus will raise you from spiritual death to new life.

Jesus will show you the exceeding greatness of God power

Jesus will release that power in your life.

Jesus, the Last Adam, will reverse the curse brought about by the first Adam.

Jesus will introduce you to a resurrected lifestyle.

Jesus helps you, and gives you the power to STAND UP in every area of life!

April 17, 2022 will be Easter Sunday, which I like to call Resurrection Sunday to place focus on Christ. There are “Easter Bunnies,” but there are no “Resurrection Bunnies.” I still don’t know where Easter bunnies came from!

As with our other major Christ focused holiday, Christmas, we want to celebrate the core reason of the season, indeed every season, Jesus Christ.

Part of the Easter Celebration includes what we call “Holy Week.” Tradition identifies each day of the week with special emphasis on Christ's path towards His sacrifice on the Cross. Friday represents Jesus crucifixion which we call “Good Friday.” Sunday is the day we celebrate Jesus' resurrection.

I would like to suggest that whatever you do this week, Holy Week, in celebration of Christ and whatever you've done over the the past 40 days if you celebrated the Roman Catholic religious practice of Lent, continue doing in spirit and attitude every day.

As people, we have the bad habit to jumping and jumping out of spiritual emphasis and focus. Sometimes religious practice reinforces jumping in and out because spiritual focus is temporary and people feel better or justified when “jumping back in.” The reality is this: “The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17), we don’t jump in and out by faith

If Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection means anything, it means being raised to a new life. If you are a Christ Follower, challenge yourself to life a resurrected life everyday! God Bless and Be Encouraged! Bryan Hudson, D.MIn

Isaiah 55:10-12, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 SO SHALL MY WORD BE that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." Behind our home, looking through our kitchen and patio windows, one of the first signs of springtime are daffodils breaking through the soil and blooming in our neighbor's yard. There is also the change of color in our lawn as the grass seems to come back to life. In the Book of Isaiah, God's purpose of prospering is compared to rain nourishing plant life in providing both seed and bread. Cycles of nature are a reminder of the reliability of God's Word and promises. As Spring unfolds, signaled by flowers emerging and trees blooming, remember that God keeps all His promises, especially as you emerge from a long winter season in life. Not only does God give you seed to sow, He blesses everything you have sown. Know that whatever "thing" you need, God assigns and provides resources to cause your purpose to prosper. These are not options or suggestions, these are facts of life for Christ followers. Only be specific about the things you expect and need. God Bless and Be Encouraged

Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law [religion] could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Think of God’s systems/laws as you think about the law of gravity. It is everywhere on the earth, all the time. It works for you and can work against you––but it was designed for work for you.

“Made Free” Happens at Two Levels:

LEGAL (Formal): Salvation is a gift. You did not earn it. You have freedom through nothing you’ve done.

PRACTICAL (Everyday life): You have it, but then you learn to walk in it.

What we don’t do is seek to change things we don’t understand or that make us feel uncomfortable. What we do is learn and change.

Everyone has thought at one time or another that the Bible is wrong. Like anything in life that is highly developed, tested, and proven over a long time, it is infinitely more likely that we don't understanding something than something is actually wrong.

2 Peter 1:21 (NIV), For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Never place your speculation above proven knowledge and experience.
Seek to understand. Don’t presume.
Decide to have faith in God and His Word, or not.
Feed your faith. Starve your doubts.

David wrote in Psalm 37:25, I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. This verse, which I've heard my whole life in Christ has more significance today. When I was younger, it was just something David said. Now it's something I have both lived and seen. We had a visit last week from our son, daughter-in-law, and new granddaughter. As I looked at her and held her, I thought about the goodness of God in our family. I reflected on her future and all the blessings that lie ahead. I wondered what my grandparents thought about me when I was born. As a minister, my grandfather, Ray Elijah Hudson knew of these words from David. His life was certainly much more difficult than my life, coming from rural Tennessee. My father talk to me about his challenges growing up but never complained or lost sight of the blessings of God. My grandfather and father had never seen the righteous forsaken or their descendants begging for bread, though they had seen hard times. They were part of the Great Migration of Black families who moved north in search of a better life, which they found. So my wife and I look at our children and grandchildren in the same light of God's blessing that our parents and grandparents looked at us. I want to remind you that you have come from people who knew God, who prayed for you, and walked in the light of God. Continue to teach your children, grandchildren, and others to love God and walk in His blessing and favor. God Bless and Be Encouraged! Bryan Hudson, D.Min

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law [religion] could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Think of God’s systems/laws as you think about the law of gravity. It is everywhere on the earth, all the time. It works for you and can work against you––but it was designed for work for you.

Psalm 119:89-93

Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life.

It is important to understand the use of the word “law” in the Book of Romans

Greek, νόμος “nomos”

Anything established
A precept or principle
The law Moses (Mosaic Law)
NT covenant principle

The word law is used in the book of Romans in three primary ways:

Referring to the Law of Moses
A principle - The word law is also used to describe a principle such as the “law” of sowing and reaping and other laws related to nature.
NT principles - The word law is also used to describe New Testament and Christian principles, or the Christian faith, such as the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ.” (Rom. 8)

Psalm 37:25

I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

On March 24, 2022 my wife Patricia and I celebrate 43 years of sharing the Covenant of Holy Matrimony. I use those words to describe our marriage because I'm convinced it was God who joined us and has kept us all these years.

You might ask: “What is your secret to staying together happily for 43 years?” Well, here is the secret: “God has been good to us, we have been good to one another, and we didn't move the landmark.”

A friend offered congratulations on my Facebook page and stated that for 43 years my wife and I had learned to trust each other and trust the Lord. I was appreciative, but my reply was that we’ve never had a problem trusting God or trusting each other. I know there are trust issues in some marriages, but Covenant is trust, Jesus created the Covenant, and we started out in Him. All of our challenges have been related to either selfishness or needing to adapt to one another.

God being good to you is something He wants to do. Being good to others is something people choose to do, and some people don't make that choice.

Our Firm Foundation is God‘s faithfulness to us and our faithfulness to one another. I think about the verse that reads, “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers set.” (Proverbs 22:28) I'm thinking about my wife's parents who were married for 68 years before her father passed away in February. I'm also thinking about my parents who were married 48 years before my mother passed away 21 years ago. Our parents set a landmark for my wife and I.

Again, the not-so-secret, secret to a good, long marriage relationship is: 1) Let God be good to you, 2) Be good to each other at all times, 3) Don't remove the landmark or the legacy and standard placed in your life.

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

Donate to New Covenant Church: https://cash.app/$newcovenantindy

Around the time of Jesus’ passion in the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked His disciples to pray for Him. He came over to where they were on three occasions and found them sleeping. They literally fell asleep on the job.

If this was not part of god‘s plan it would have been tragic. Jesus' disciples were not as strong as they thought themselves to be. We are not as strong as we think we are, but that is only a problem if we are unwilling to accept that we need God to strengthen us day by day.

When Jesus told the disciples He was going to be taken and that they would struggle and stumble, Peter strongly objected and said, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” To which Peter said, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matt. 26:31-35)

Well, we know what happened. Fact: Peter if you couldn’t stay awake to pray with Jesus for an hour in a peaceful place, you didn’t have the strength to stand with Jesus in crisis.

Our strength comes in humility. To be humble is to be willing to be helped. The old saying is true, talk is cheap. Let God help you today, and day by day. That's what Jesus died, buried, and rose again to provide to you and me.

God Bless and Be Encouraged!

Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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God‘s blessing and favor are not locked away from you.

God‘s blessing and favor are locked away for you.

Isaiah 45:3 NLT, And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness— secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

Parables show why things are locked from some and for others

Matthew 13:10-12, And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Jesus answered them, “To you it as been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have even what he has shall be taken away from him.

God chooses people based on who will allow Him to be faithful. God doesn’t need partners, because He does not need help.
God chooses sons and daughters to reveal Himself through.
People who think they have it, don’t think they need God.
People like to talk about God, but don’t actually want to do what He says.

Bryan Hudson, D.Min. I didn't sleep well last night, and I had to get up at 5:30am. It was a cold morning leaving the house and driving north on the highway before dawn. Praying and listening to a worship playlist while navigating the light early morning traffic made me fully awake. Rolling up the interstate, checking directions, looking at the ETA on my GPS, and thinking about my destination. I am not an early riser, especially since I am something of a night owl, working on projects often late into the evening. But today I had no regrets about getting up early on a cold morning, not getting enough sleep, and driving alone for 119 miles. Love and a promise I made was the difference. I promised my four-year-old grandson that I would be present for Grandparent's Day at his school. My wife was not able to come this year. I arrived to the school a little early. In comes my grandson with his other grandmother. He said, "Hi Papa," as casually as if I had just drove around the corner to be there at 8:30am. That's all I needed to hear. There is always joy in the things we do for love...and it is never a burden. God Bless and be encouraged!

SELF-ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET

Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NJKV), If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom produces success.”

(NLT), Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.

(NIV), If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the saw.” ~ Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

From a knife sharpening guide:

“Maintaining Your Edge”

A properly maintained knife is sharp. A dull knife can be dangerous because you will apply much more pressure than you would with a sharp knife and your hand will be much more likely to slip.

A honing tool will realign the edge and also bring to the surface the carbon molecules that provide most of the cutting action. Frequent honing is essential and will keep your knife cutting like new for months.

Use your honing tool virtually every time you use your knives.

KEY WORDS

Ax (Saw) – The instrument of service; our lifestyle

Edge – The cutting edge; the action edge; What we actually do; our gifts and unique contribution to God’s purpose

Wisdom - Ability to make proper choices and reach proper conclusions and decisions; Shrewdly aware and subtly resourceful; Using the proper means and procedures in attaining an end; Knowing how to restore and maintain your edge.

Sharpen: Raising the level of your skill and effectiveness through RENEWAL

Tools That Sharpen

Doers of the Word: Eccl. 10:18, Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house
Prayer & Worship: Individual, corporate, John 4:23
Simplicity/Declutter Life: 2 Cor. 11:3 NLT, But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
Fellowship: (“Iron sharpens iron”) Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 John 2:7
Personal Preparation: 2 Tim. 2:15, Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Accountability: Hebrews 13:7, Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. account.
Faith: 2 Cor. 5:7, Prov. 11:4, He who observes the wind shall not sow...”
Teaching & Training: Sermons, Bible Study - Acts 2:42, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

In the first Psalm, David described the blessed person who knows that seasons never fail. He wrote. “They shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”

Your season never fails because a season does not depend on you. Your season depends where you are planted.

Trees, like our lives, that are planted by rivers of water have a steady supply of nourishment contributing to steady growth. Having served in ministry for more than 40 years, I have seen the difference between people who are planted by rivers of water, such as planted in churches that teach the Word, who honor Jesus, and those who are not well planted.

When you are well planted, your leaf does not wither, and you prosper, even when you don't feel like it. God is faithful, even when we struggle— especially when we struggle!

Again, your season never fails because it does not depend on you. Are you well planted?Thank God for the streams that nourish you –– Streams of a faithful church, caring pastors, and loving people in your life.

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min. Donate to New Covenant Church: https://cash.app/$newcovenantindy

Ephesians 2:10 NLT, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Did you know that you are a masterpiece?

A masterpiece is the greatest work of an artist, author, architect, composer, or other practitioner. Perhaps, you've heard about the The Last Supper painting by Leonardo Da Vinci, or the book Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, seen acting work by the late, great Sidney Poitier. There are masterpiece buildings like the Sidney Opera House in Australia.

You are God's masterpiece! People are God's greatest work. We are Imago Dei, which is a latin term meaning "The Image of God", which is what he said when he made the first person, Adam. That is something not said about any other created thing or animal. Not even Angels are made in the image of God

A lot of forces in this world and sometimes your mind fight against the Imago Dei inside you. We live in a negative world, but you have a positive image inside you. And it is never too late to accept God's version of reality and His design for your life.

An oppressed man named Gideon was found threshing wheat in a wine press because he was hiding from his enemies. A wine press is for pressing grapes. In that place, God found Gideon hiding in that place and said, “I am with you, you mighty man of valor.” (Judges 6:12) God doesn't only see your circumstances, He sees you.

Is there anything out of place in your life because of negative circumstances? The answer and solution begins with believing what God said about you. You are HIs best work. You are a masterpiece. And God is with you!

God Bless and Be Encouraged! Bryan Hudson, D.Min

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2 Corinthians 4:16, Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

How to Be Renewed

R - Rest & Repent

E - Experience Fullness

N - Never cease prayer

E - Endure: Cast Cares on the Lord

W - Wait on exchange of strength

(“Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute” is a weekly encouragement sent by text on Wednesdays to supporters of New Covenant Church and Dr. Bryan Hudson. Subscribe to this blog to get connected.)

Hebrews 4:9-10 reads, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”

Here is a good question: What does it mean to rest in the Lord?

The best answer comes from today’s Scripture, “He who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” When God finished creation as described in the book of Genesis, He rested.

God did not rest because he was tired, He rested because He was finished.

In like manner, we rest when we finish something, or deem it as finished. Open ended and incomplete items in our lives prevent us from entering into a sense of rest. There are some matters you need to close so that you can experience rest.

Here's another perspective: To rest in the Lord is to use the power of another. If you wanted to go to a grocery store a mile away, you could walk or jog there. Or, you could allow someone to drive you there. The latter would be an example of using the “power of Another.”

We all value good effort, but sometimes we should rely on and use the power of the Lord. This is not the day to wear yourself down. This is the day to be energized and preserve your energy for tasks that fit your purpose.

Even with things we do, we should use the power of another, the grace of God, to make our efforts more fruitful and enjoyable.

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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2 Corinthians 4:16, Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

Renewed Defined

ἀνακαινόω (anakainoō)

“ana” to cause to grow up
“neos” to make new
New strength and vigor given
To be changed into a new kind of life as opposed to the former corrupt state
Renovate

How to Be Renewed

R - Rest & Repent

E - Experience Fullness

N - Never cease prayer

E - Endure: Cast Cares on the Lord

W - Wait on exchange of strength

The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”

Today's Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute has special significance.

On last Friday, February 4, for my wife and I, our third grandchild was born to our son and daughter-in-law. Baby and mother are doing very well. When we held our granddaughter, we experienced overwhelming joy at another miracle of life.

Two days later, we were standing around the hospital bed of my wife's 90 year old father, and my father-in-law. We were present with other family members. I had the privilege of praying over him as he transitioned into the presence of the Lord.

It was a different kind of joy, mixed with a growing sorrow of soon missing a man who was such a significant father, husband, grandfather, brother, uncle, and much more to many. We shed tears, but make no mistake, we had the joy of knowing that we had experienced a loss, but also knowing that no one was lost---because we know where he went and where he is.

Joy is not one thing in one place. Joy is everything in every place because joy comes directly from the Lord. Joy is infused and diffused within those who know and love the Lord.

Do you know Jesus? Do you love God?

He is only source of true joy anytime and in any place.

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV, Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:18-19 MSG, 18 Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. 19 Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands

Isaiah 43:18 GNT, But the Lord says, "Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago.

Enduring Word Commentary: As Isaiah wrote prophetically to Israel, they were mired in the desperate circumstances of captivity and exile. God wanted to put their eyes on the new work He would do, so He began with a reminder to not remember the former things. If they were stuck in the failure and sin and discouragement of the past, they would never go forward to the new thing God had for them.

“God wanted to put their eyes on the new work He would do…”

Often, when God makes a promise, we worry about the details or the obstacles for the fulfillment of the promise. God replies to us, “Don’t worry about it at all. I will even make a road in the wilderness. I have resources and plans you don’t know about. Leave those problems to Me.”

Moving forward and upward requires both natural and supernatural intervention

Roads speaks of the natural—Things you can do with God’s help

Rivers speak of the supernatural — Things only God can do.

Joshua 4:6

that this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

When you have leverage, you hold the advantage in a situation or the stronger position in a task, physical or otherwise.

Leverage is like a lever that helps you move something heavy

The work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, and the great number of people he represented including the “hidden figures,” created postive social legacy for African Americans and for all Americans.

What is legacy?

Let’s think about LEGACY as something handed down from an ancestor or predecessor.

We also think of legacy as something provided to work with and build on.

It is our responsibility to identify the value of legacy, live the lessons, and build the future on it.

That creates our leverage.

The alternative is starting from scratch without resources.

The leverage of legacy is carried forward by learning and teaching our children and others how to love and serve God by remembering all He has done.

We know the word hope. Having hope is a choice that we make.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 1:27, To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. J.B. Phillips translation reads: “...Christ in you, the hope of all glorious things to come.”

Hope with Christ and hope without Christ are not the same thing. The word glory has to do with fulfillment because of God’s presence. Every hope that God has put in your heart will have a glorious outcome, because of the presence of God in your hope.

The key to realizing the “hope of glory” is to know that Jesus lives inside of you and wants to express Himself in fulfillment of every hope. Hope is not based on circumstances, but on your interpretation of the outcome of circumstances.

For example, there was a story in the Book of Numbers Chapter 13 about Israel in which 12 leaders were instructed to go look at the land God had promised---He already told them it was “very good.” Ten of the leaders lost hope because of their bad interpretation of the circumstance of giant beings in the land deemed as too big of an obstacle to overcome.

You either interpret the “giants” you encounter as stronger than you, or you interpret that you are “well able to overcome,” (In Caleb’s words) with God's help, giant-sized obstacles. This is an example of “Christ in you, the hope of all glorious things to come.”

Hope is a choice. Choose well!

God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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Psalms 18:28 NIV, You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

1 John 1:5, This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Some Keys about Light and Darkness

People spend too much time talking about and dealing with things of darkness.
“Darkness is not a thing, it is a result.” ~ T.D. Jakes
When you turn up the light you did not have to tell the darkness to leave.
You cannot turn up darkness, you can only turn up light. Light is your superpower

Philippians 2:14, Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

1 John 2:9, He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Psalms 18:28 NIV, You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

The word darkness makes one think of bad things. Things we don't want. As Christ followers, we are sensitive to spiritual darkness and we are concerned about people we know and love

I agree with T.D. Jakes who stated in a recent sermon, “Darkness is not a thing. It is a result.”

In nature and in life, darkness is the absence of light or the absence of God, because God is light. No one can turn up darkness, but light can be turned on and turned up.

The Bible has a lot to say about darkness, but mainly in the context of our response and responsibility to people who are in darkness --- again, which is the absence of light. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 2:19, “We are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness.”

You and I are called to bring light, which dispels darkness. Jesus said to His disciples, “You are the light of the world.”

Paul also addressed believers in Christ who had allowed their light to grow dim, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12)

The good news is that we don't have live under the burden of making light shine. We only have to stay in relationship with God. Again, as David wrote, “You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” ~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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Psalms 18:28 NIV, You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

1 John 1:5, This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Some Keys about Light and Darkness

People spend too much time talking about and dealing with things of darkness.
“Darkness is not a thing, it is a result.” ~ T.D. Jakes
When you turn up the light you did not have to tell the darkness to leave.
You cannot turn up darkness, you can only turn up light. Light is your superpower

("Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute" is a weekly encouragement sent by text on Wednesdays to supporters of New Covenant Church and Dr. Bryan Hudson. Subscribe to this blog to get connected.)

All of what we hope for tomorrow, begins today. Joshua prepared Israel to cross the Jordan River. This was the second time they faced a barrier of water. First was the Red Sea after their exodus from Egypt. They miraculously crossed over with great joy, but they soon fell into bad habits. By the time Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy, which was the last of his five books called the Pentateuch, he was very aware of Israel's failure after the Red Sea miracle.

In that last book, Moses wrote about people focusing on God and doing His will "today" over 160 times. Looking back, I think Moses realized that the people's hope for tomorrow was not met with preparation today.

After Moses died, God raised up Joshua. As Israeli faced their second barrier of water, the Jordan River, we find Joshua giving them instructions today, before crossing over the next day. Joshua said, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5)

God has prepared you for every challenge and opportunity in front of you. Today is your tomorrow because what you do today determines your success tomorrow. God Bless and Be Encouraged! ~ Bryan Hudson

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Watch video presentation and read text of entire Letter From the Birmingham Jail

In April 1963, Martin Luther King was jailed in Birmingham, Alabama, after he defied a state court’s injunction and led a march of Black protesters without a permit, urging an Easter boycott of white-owned stores. A statement published in The Birmingham News, written by eight moderate white clergymen, criticized the march and other demonstrations.

This prompted King to write a lengthy response, begun in the margins of the newspaper. He smuggled it out with the help of his lawyer, and the nearly 7,000 words were transcribed.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/02/letter-from-a-birmingham-jail/552461/

Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute for January 12, 2022

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Bryan Hudson, D.Min.,

Pastor, New Covenant Church, Indianapolis, Indiana

Donate at https://www.newcovenant.org/giving

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Joshua 3:8, You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’ ”

John 14:5, Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

When Jesus says you KNOW something, that knowledge is never wrapped inside of your knowledge and personal experience. When you KNOW Jesus, You know the way.

Joshua 3:3, And they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”

Key #1 - Live in Resurrection Power Relationship Key #2 - Small Things Matter Key #3 - God has Prepared You For Every Challenge and Opportunity in Front of you Key #4 - Pay Attention Key #5 - Stand in the Water Key #6 - When You Change, Your Circumstances will Change Key #7 - You Don’t Have to See or Understand Everything That Helps You

Reflection Questions:

What is your New Normal?
In what small things are you faithful?
How has God prepared you?
In what ways do you need to pay attention?
In what do you need to stand right now?

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TODAY is the only time that matters

Forward defined:

To cause to proceed or progress toward a goal. To cause to go or be taken from one place, person, or condition to another.
Forward is a place to which God leads people of purpose and destiny.
Forward is the place and the direction the vision takes you.
Forward is the only direction God is moving.

Exodus 14:13, And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. 14] For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. 15] And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.

Deuteronomy 28:1, “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.

Hebrews 3:13, But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

What We Know After Christmas

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LIGHT ALWAYS SHINES IN YOUR DARKNESS Matthew 4:16 NIV, The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. (From Isaiah 9:2)
GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES
THERE IS PURPOSE, PROMISE, AND POWER IN JESUS NAME Matthew 1:21, And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.
EVERY MENTION OF HIS NAME DECLARES THAT HE CAME TO DELIVER, SAVE, AND RESCUE YOU Luke 2:21, On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived
BECAUSE OF JESUS, WE RISE Luke 2:34, Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against."
WISDOM IS NOT ONLY FOR THE OLD, BUT FOR THE YOUNG Luke 2:40, And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
GOD PROTECTS YOU FROM DESTROYERS OF LIFE AND PURPOSE
INTER-GENERATIONAL LEARNING AND GROWING IS GOD'S PLAN Luke 2:46, Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 49, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

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Psalm 16:11 NIV, You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Luke 2:8, Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

What is Joy?

Joy is the knowledge and satisfaction of God’s grace through Jesus Christ.

Joy is the knowledge or satisfaction of knowing you are in the will of God.

Joy is a feeling, but more than a feeling.

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1 John 4:7-12 (NKJV)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us

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Colossians 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

What to do after Thanksgiving

Seek things that are above. Seek higher things and better things for your life.
Put on love. Be a person committed to loving others. It is the bond of perfection. What does it mean that you're perfect, but loving God and loving others is the best way to become better.
Let peace rule in your hearts. Don't allow confusion and fear to control you. Remember that Jesus is the prince of peace.
Stay connected to others and always be thankful.

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1 Thessalonians 5:17, Pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit.

1 - Giving thanks helps you reconnect with your foundation

2 - Giving thanks helps keep your life clear of anxiety, worry, and sin traps

3 - Giving thanks is the container that allows you to receive and hold blessings, benefits and responsibilities

4 - Giving thanks puts you in a position to allow God to transform every weakness into a strength

5 - Giving thanks draws you closer to God and closer to covenant relationships

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Key Scriptures:

Matthew 13:45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, 46 Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.

Value of Learning and Discovery One great lesson of the parable is the joy of the discovery that caused the man to be willing to give up everything to make the treasure, and the expectation of discovery his own.

The Pull of Priority Revealed: Find your “Pearls” and “Pearl.” Prioritize the things in God and in life that are most beautiful to you.

What is the Value of Priority? Priority is not only about things you HAVE TO DO. It is also about things you LOVE TO DO. It is about things that you consider beautiful and the the pursuit of those things

We don’t seek the kingdom only to have things added. We seek the kingdom because it is beautiful! We seek the kingdom because there’s nothing better!

Value Reflection Questions: 1. What is Value? 2. Who are the people you value? 3. What are the things you value? 4. What values need to change? 5. How to you value the kingdom of God?

Priority Reflection Questions: 1. What is Priority? 2. What do you have to do? 3. What should you do? 4. What things are beautiful to you? 5. Where does the Kingdom of God fit in? 6. What needs to change?

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Key Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46 (NKJV), Again, The kingdom of heaven is like something precious buried in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field. 45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, 46 Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.

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More than living by reason and decisions, we are often pulled by our values and priorities. We all have good intentions, but our actions are sometimes not aligned. Placing a Christ-centered fresh focus on our actual (not imagined) values and priorities is the way into a Kingdom lifestyle.

Matthew 6:31, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Matthew 13:44-46 (NKJV), Again, The kingdom of heaven is like something precious buried in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field.

45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, 46 Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.

Value defined: The worth, importance, or usefulness of something. The verb is defined as: to rate something according to its perceived worth, importance, or usefulness.

Priority defined: 1. The state of having most importance or urgency, 2. Somebody or something that is ranked highly in terms of importance or urgency, 3. The state of having preceded something else.

Value Determines Priority

What we call “values” drives our attitudes and actions.

We all have “values” and our values should be shaped by Christ and God’s kingdom

Testing What We Value and Prioritize

We follow what we value and we do first what is our highest priority.
We go in the direction of what we value and we start the journey based on our priority.
We make our choices based on the value we place on things and people.
We rank things and people according to our priority.
We are driven by the value (importance and usefulness) of things natural and spiritual.
Our level of focus is based on the priority we place on things natural and spiritual.