Brandon Davis 's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brandon Davis
Our ministry consists of Restoring and Uplifting the Hopeless, Homeless & Helpless (R.U.T.H ). Keeping Jesus in the center of it all.
Good morning family and friends, scripture today: 1 Samuel 30:1-25 (key verse-6)
When David and his men arrived home all that remained was heap of smoking ruins. Everything was gone; wives, children, cattle and all their property. What do you do when life falls apart? There’s a saying, “When in trouble, when in doubt, run in circles and scream and shout!”
It is interesting to note how David’s men reacted when they discovered their terrible loss. Verse four, “Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.’
Some of them sat down and wept until they had no more tears to shed. But others complained and blamed David. Verse six,
“Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters….” Some went so far as to suggest that they stone David. It is always easy in a crisis to blame somebody else or to look for a scapegoat.
What does that have to do with encouraging yourself in God? A lot of times when your life gets hairy you’re tempted to do what David’s troops did. You’re tempted to take it out on someone else. Misery loves company. You’re in the pit of despair and instead of spending time with God and asking Him what to do; you do the stupid thing. You’re hurting so you hurt someone else. Hurt people hurt people.
So what happens after the crisis passes and you have time to reflect on having behaved badly toward someone else because you were in pain? Now you have another problem. You have to mend the fences you took down in your anger and your pain. So do yourself a favor, when troubles come be aware of yourself and behave yourself.
Think of what must have been going through David’s mind as he stood over the ruins of his home not knowing whether his family was dead or alive. He must have asked himself some questions. Like, “Why, if God is with me, is Saul trying to kill me? Why is Saul so insanely jealous of me? Why, if I am anointed do I have hide myself in the wilderness? Is this the reward I get for being a man after God’s own heart?”
Is it not possible that God intended that a crisis be allowed in David’s life that would force him to seek some answers from deep within? David had a choice. He could either, as a great many of us do, just stand there and continue to look, and see nothing but the disaster or he could look beyond them and see God. David looked deep within himself and there he met God and found the strength and direction to carry on. Then verse six continues with “…But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”
Nugget:
Sometimes you have to cry it out, talk it out, scream it out, walk it out and then thug it out!
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1 John 5:4-5 NIV
"for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
Good morning family and friends, scripture today: 1 Kings 18:41.
"And Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundance of rain."
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Good morning family and friends,
scripture today: Psalm 10:1 NIV.
"Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?"
As a believer in God, is it ok to question Him, maybe even challenge Him about what He is doing in our lives and in the lives of others?
Sometimes we look around at the world and wonder, “how can God be letting this happen?” Or we look at our own lives and wonder, “why would God put me through this?”
I know I’ve asked these questions many times throughout my life and then quickly stopped myself. I’ve been faithfully taught, and I believe that God is perfectly in control and He has my best interests at heart. So am I allowed to question Him? Or should I simply accept what is going on around me and in my life?
At first, all this questioning made me a bit uncomfortable. The Psalmists are so open in their questioning of God, do they know something about relating to God that I don’t? However, as I read, I began to notice a pattern. Even as they question and challenge God they remain convinced of God’s goodness and His sovereignty over all that is happening. They often show this by finishing off the Psalm with an affirmation of God’s character.
Here's an example from Psalm 10.
Firstly, the Psalmist asks: “Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?”
But in verse 16, he concludes by saying: “The LORD is king forever and ever”.
You see, while the Psalmist asks the question, He realises that God is in complete control and trusts Him no matter what.
From Abraham, Moses and David we learn an important lesson: God demands our obedience and loyalty, but ultimately He does not want “yes men” who will fail to stand up to Him when the moment demands. This, of course, comes with one caveat: to have the right to stand up to God, one must possess tremendous humility and a deep sense of compassion for others. Abraham and Moses did not question God’s ways so as to refute their belief in Him. Their questioning was, in fact, a tremendous affirmation of their faith in a God who would allow them to respectfully speak their minds.
Nugget:
"You can absolutely question GOD. Abraham did (Genesis 18:23‐33). Moses did (Exodus 5:22‐23). David (did. And so did many others. How can you be in a real relationship and not ask questions?"
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Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."
Nugget:
Whether it's leaves changing in your backyard or you changing your clock for Daylight Saving Time, autumn reminds us that nothing stays the same forever. Change is one of the few constants in life, but that's okay. God has perfect timing, and He has a purpose that stretches into eternity. #ChangeHasPurpose
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A couple of years ago, the Lord showed me I had to start praying room to room in my home. To anoint the pillows in every bedroom and to pray for peace in each room. To pray for protection, provision, joy, and for the word of God to dwell in that place. I was to pray for whatever the spirit was leading me to pray.
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning’s too deep for words. Romans 8:26 ESV
God wanted me to take prayer deeper than just our living room. He was leading me room to room to pray for every situation within the walls of the home.
After praying like this in our home over a year, keeping the commitment of praying for the home once a month has become a vital part of my prayer life. It is a time for me to become intimate with the Lord as I walk room to room and pray for where God leads me to pray.
I anoint the doorways, the windows, the pillows and bed posts in every room. Each room is individually prayed for. I pray for each child in our home, for the master bedroom to become a sanctuary to our marriage, and for no defilement may come into the marriage.
I pray over our animals and for every part of our land. That the land our home lays on is prosperous and protected by the hand of God.
I pray for whoever steps onto it may immediately feel the presence of God.
I choose to do this task because this is where the Lord spoke to me to cover and cleanse our home. This does not replace any amount of prayer time for me or my family. If anything, the time I take once a month gives me more accountability to continuously be in prayer for all things.
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. Ephesians 6:18 ESV
My prayer for you today is that you seek the Lord and ask Him where to clean your home. What needs prayer? Who needs prayer? Allow Him to lead you through your home room to room. Be blessed by the presence of God and with the revelation of His power in every room of your home.
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Good morning family & friends,
Scripture: Genesis 12:2 AMP.
"And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you [abundantly], And make your name great (exalted, distinguished); And you shall be a blessing [a source of great good to others];"
We can read God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2 and think, Oh, Hallelujah! That applies to me, too! But we cannot forget that God required a sacrifice of obedience before Abraham could receive the promise. Abraham had to be willing to leave the place where he was comfortable; he had to leave his father and all his relatives. And he did; he simply moved in faith to the place God said he would show him. If you are willing to have Abraham's kind of obedience, you can have Abraham's kind of blessing.
🔥WE CAN ALL LIVE IN THE RICHNESS AND FULLNESS OF THE LORD, IF ONLY WE WOULD LISTEN AND OBEY🔥
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Good morning family and friends, read Ephesians 5:21–33.
Paul, like a skillful artist, overwhelmed me with his picture of marriage. I could hardly speak, I was so convicted. I was awed.
Paul isn’t simply saying, “Husbands, love your wife like you love yourself.” If we see it this way, we fail to see the beauty and miracle of marriage. We also misunderstand our oneness with Jesus.
Paul is saying, “Husbands, love your wife because she is your body.” You are one flesh. You cannot be separated. You are more connected to your spouse than you are to those who share your DNA.
Defeating my wife with my harsh or insensitive words is as senseless as standing in front of a mirror and arguing with myself. Refusing to nourish my wife by providing for her is more foolish than not feeding myself. Failing to wash her in the word of God is more repulsive than overlooking my own hygiene.
Paul reminded me of a simple reality that I had quickly forgotten: she is me. Christ’s love is not only a picture of how I should love my wife, but my source of strength to live it out. His love exposes my sin and gives me power to overcome it. He empowers me to see that she is me, and to love selflessly and sacrificially as I have been loved.
NUGGET:
"Your wife is a reflection of how you treat her."
Good morning family and friends, scripture today: Proverbs 11:1 AMP.
"A false balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the Lord, But an accurate scale is His delight."
To be in BALANCE may not mean that everything in your life gets equal time, but that there is a definite tipping point to pay attention to so that all of the important aspects of your live get some dedicated time weekly.
Pay attention to what feels out-of-balance, then focus on the steps needed to tip things in your favor to improve the health of your mind, body, and Spirit.
◊ Are you enjoying BALANCE between work & play, sleep & activity, chores & fun?
◊ Is what you’re eating, and the amount of exercise you get daily, in-BALANCE to maintain a healthy and happy you?
◊ What feels out-of-BALANCE that you’d like to see change?
Focus this week on finding BALANCE in your thoughts and actions.
Notice the abundant feelings of calm, peace, and happiness that BALANCE creates in your life.
Life is Better IN Balance!
Good morning family and friends, scripture today: Psalm 5:3 NIV.
"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."
NUGGET:
Do what Jesus did, and get up and spend time with the Heavenly Father to begin the day. Get HIS direction and priorities for the day, and then follow that. But the whole plan hinges on getting up and spending time with God first thing in the morning.
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Scripture for today: 2 Peter 1:3
Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.
NUGGET:
My wife and I had gym membership for a local gym here in Lebanon and we had it for years we paid on it all the time, it was easier to pay the membership fee than it was to actually go to the gym and workout. See we had unlimited access and benefits to help strengthen our bodies to live a healthy life. Family God has given us unlimited access through His Son Jesus Christ to live a Godly life. With this access "We Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Us" (Philippians 4:13).
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In Ezekiel 11:19, God says he will replace the Stony hearts in his people with new hearts that are sensitive to his touch. When we give our lives to God, he puts a sense of right and wrong deep within our conscience. But if we rebelled against our conscience too many times, we can become hard-hearted. If that happens, we need to let God soften our hearts so we can be spiritually sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I was very hard-hearted before I really truly accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and having a relationship with Him. Being in his presence regularly developed the new heart in me the new heart that Jesus died to give me. Without a heart sensitive to God's touch, we will not recognize many of the times He is speaking to us. He speaks gently, in a steel, Small Voice, are with gentle conviction about a matter. Those who are hard-hearted and busy "doing their own thing" will not be sensitive to God's voice. I am grateful that He has softened my heart with His word, because a hard-hearted person cannot receive the blessings God wants to give.
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Good morning family and friends,
facing the New Year is always somewhat scary. Who knows what the year may hold. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why fear the unknown?
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, Paul said, "God has not given to us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7, KJV). Paul's statement tells us something: unhealthy, debilitating fear is not from God.
How did Paul fight this monster of fear? In the text I quoted, he gives us the answer. The first key is knowing that God’s power is greater than your fear. The realization that God is with you and that He is greater and more powerful by far than anything that will ever confront you quickly destroys fear. You do not have to be tormented by fear: Look to Christ and commit your life to Him. Realize that you are His child. Remember God has not given us the spirit of fear. He gives the spirit of love, of power, and of a sound mind.
NUGGET:
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We did not come to fear the future. We came here to shape it.
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A goal should scare you a little and excite you a lot.
Great things never came from comfort zones.
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If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.
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Never let the odds keep you from doing what you know in your heart you were meant to do.
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Good morning family and friends, scripture today: Galatians 1:4-5 NLT.
Jesus gave His life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
First, let’s look at the reasons why some Christians do not celebrate Christmas.
One argument against Christmas is that the traditions surrounding the holiday have origins in paganism. Christians who choose to ignore Christmas point to the fact that the Bible doesn’t give us the date of Christ’s birth, which is certainly true. December 25 may not be even close to the time Jesus was born.
Those Christians who do celebrate Christmas often see the occasion as an opportunity to proclaim Christ as “the reason for the season” among the nations and to those trapped in false religions.
As we have seen, there is no legitimate scriptural reason not to celebrate Christmas. At the same time, there is no biblical mandate to celebrate it, either. In the end, of course, whether or not to celebrate Christmas is a personal decision. Whatever Christians decide to do regarding Christmas, their views should not be used as a club with which to beat down or criticize those with opposing views, nor should either view be used as a badge of honor inducing pride over celebrating or not celebrating. As in all things, we seek wisdom from Him who gives it liberally to all who ask (James 1:5) and accept one another in Christian love and grace, regardless of our views on Christmas.
While there are definitely pagan roots to some traditions, there are many more traditions associated with the true meaning of Christmas—the birth of the Savior of the world in Bethlehem. Bells are played to ring out the joyous news, candles are lit to remind us that Christ is the Light of the world (John 1:4-9), a star is placed on the top of a Christmas tree to remember the Star of Bethlehem, and gifts are exchanged to remind us of the gifts of the Magi to Jesus, the greatest gift of God to mankind.
In closing, how would you feel if your family and friends would give gifts to themselves on the day that is recognized as your birthday our people received gifts and no one even recognized you are honored you on that date. How would you feel? Jesus is the reason for the season let's always celebrate Him everyday, but please if this is a date that has been set to honor our Lord and Savior please make it about Him, honor Him with your gifts whatever has been placed on your heart to do do it for Jesus. Because He did it for you.
" And the King will say , 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' (Matthew 25:40 NLT ).
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Bible Study Alive
Israel's Failure to Learn
Scripture: Amos 4:12 MSG Bible.
“All this I have done to you, Israel, and this is why I have done it. Time’s up, O Israel! Prepare to meet your God!”
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In Amos 3:3 we read, "Do two walk together except they make an appointment and have agreed?" To walk with God, we must agree with God. This means agreeing with His Word, with His heart, and with His character. We need to agree with everything He says, everything He does, and everything He is. As we do, we will be empowered to live victorious, blessed, overcoming lives.
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The Bible is full of practical instructions for everyday life, and 1Thessalonians 5:12-22 is an excellent list of exhortations for us. How can you apply these instructions practically in your everyday life?
Remember as you read The Book of Amos that material prosperity is not always a sign of God's blessing and that it can cause people to think they do not need God. Let this book remind you of your desperate need to seek Him, because, as Amos chapter 5 repeatedly affirms, we live not by material abundance, but by truly seeking God.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) The Armor of God 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
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.
Writing to the church at Rome, in Romans 7:7, Paul made it clear that his understanding of the seriousness of coveting came from God’s clear statement that it is sin. Jesus certainly did not beat around the bush when a man asked Him to demand that his brother divide his inheritance with him. The man must have recoiled as Jesus told the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) and warned him to “take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).
I hope you will remember the lessons of Job when you face suffering in your life. Remember that God loves you, that your Redeemed lives and is working on your behalf, that nothing can separate you from God's love. But you may have to close your ears to the skeptics in your life, keep the faith and know God is on yourside! God is able to restore far more than you have lost or suffered.