Wisdom Needs To Reign

“Wisdom cries aloud in the open air and raises her voice in the public places; she calls out at the street corners and speaks out to entrances at city gates: “How long, you whose lives have no purpose, will you love thoughtless living? How long will scorners find pleasure in mocking? How long will fools hate knowledge?””

— Prov. 1:20-22

Wisdom

Need To Reign

These are valid questions we need to ask ourselves. And if when you read this you thought, "yeah, how long are those idiots going to think like that, maybe you're not ready for wisdom. Which would be sad. If I cannot admit that I have a problem, it will never even be addressed, much less fixed. 

But how, how do I address something so vital that earlier in this Proverb it clearly states that the fear (think respect) of the Lord is the BEGINNING of wisdom. You will not capture it all at first glance, but it is the start to how God wants to speak to you individually. Recently and reluctantly I was pulled into a debate over facts and the interpretation of them. The Holy Spirit was pretty clearly trying to get me to back off but, I was totally in the right and on the side of truth.....so I pushed past His warning. Guess what? No one changed their opinion and now it will be even harder to introduce God's love and favor back into future conversations. But I won, right?

Let's address how Solomon said we can get a handle on our own agenda and move forward. Prov. 1:23 Repent when I reprove-I will pour out my Spirit upon you, I will make My words known to you.

Unless we are slow on the uptake or in denial, this is what we all need. God's Words. So, I repent, I accept that I was simply in my own way and making my own opinion to have preeminence over what God wanted. And going forward allow me to express His desire for His people, whether or not they know they are His.

Pastor Brent

God Weeps

And God looks down on the earth and sees the fighting in the middle of a plague and he weeps. He sees people arguing over their own fear and doubt and turning into hate and He weeps.

He sees those who purport to be his children, wrapped up in some other agenda, not of His doing, and He weeps.

Jesus wept when He felt the hurt of his friend's death and Lazarus's sisters grief. God got angry in the Old Testament when He saw the people following hard after every destructive thing they could imagine and were unwilling to be led to peace.

But now, He weeps. We have not turned from that which is unattainable but we have turned from the simple belief in His Son, to our own destruction. And God weeps. Jesus lamented over Jerusalem in His time that the Father had so many times tried to envelope them under His wing but they would not. And God wept. 

I have to ask myself, am I making God weep? I am certainly not above opinion as to what is happening and have surely voiced some things bordering on giving God pause, but I desperately do not want to make God weep. So, turn my heart God into that which will cause you to sing over me songs of deliverance that our nation may be healed and your kingdom might come in a powerful and healing way. Please God do not let your weeping over us be in vain.

 Pastor Brent

How to Treat People

“Furthermore, if anyone does not obey what we are saying in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him, so that he will be ashamed. 15 But don’t consider him an enemy; on the contrary, confront him as a brother and try to help him change.”

— 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15

This is a very delicate statement for where we are as a fellowship and as a nation and as a people of faith. First question, determining what they are saying in this letter. Second question, who gets to determine that who needs to be talked to (again, framed by the context of this letter) and how we should bring this message.

How many of us enjoy being corrected? I see no hands. But how many of us truly believe we are doing everything exactly as God has asked us to? Again, no hands. It is part of the reason the apostles ask us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, so that we can check our headings with reasonable, Christian brothers and sisters and see if our lives match with Christ's teachings.

So, when those who are mature in the faith and have been proven to have a true sense of what God is at least about, speak to us, we should be able to listen. There have been many turning points in my life, and many who want to point out things they don't agree with; but the people who have stopped long enough to point out dangerous or unproductive parts of my life are those who have seen many faults but use their power of revelation wisely knowing that only some of what we are working through is deadly.

Be those people. Even if we get to the place where we might have to tell someone we are backing away from them for a time, it is only to get them to be ashamed of their behavior so that we can welcome them back. Never treating them as a leper, but as a brother needing our love. This whole life is about restoration. Of you, of me, of those of us who oppose even ourselves. Help us return to God the Father this day.

Pastor Brent

Is This Possible Today?

“Also, make it your ambition to live quietly, to mind your own business, and to earn your living by your efforts——just as we told you. 12 Then your daily life will gain the respect of outsiders, and you will not be dependent on anyone.”

— I Thessalonians 4:11

Sounds opposite of every direction we are being pulled. Yell loudly so your opinion can be heard, bilk the system because that is what the system is for, take because you are the most important person, even to the detriment of others.

As a person who sometimes breaks forth into a controlled state of rage (that verges on uncontrolled) I understand how hard it is to see those not playing by these rules and not be angry; however, we must remember we have a higher calling, one of divine inspiration by the Holy One of God, who set aside His life for this term on earth to gain what He did not need, for us who could not attain it.

Christianity is something that should recognized in a believer, not something we need to shout in someone's ear. We are those who never draw back because of difficulty, but neither do we push our way in to a discussion, and this because God has graciously, and mercifully enabled us to see the light without any justification to do so.

Be light today, not a spotlight in your face light, but path-showing, helpful light, that might stop individuals from plunging into the abyss. That's quiet help. Shining a light is pretty noiseless, but much more helpful than yelling, "Don't go that way you idiot!" And generally much more appreciated.

Pastor Brent

We Must Flee?

We have already praised and questioned David this week. We might as well stay on the trail of a man who God Himself says was after His own heart.

When David refused to deal with his family problem and Absalom killed his half/brother to avenge his sister, David needed to deal with this problem head on; however, he instead tried to put the problem away by isolating Absalom from his presence.

So Absalom rose up because he assumed he could shove his father out. And for a while he did. David fled from Jerusalem, from his own son, to save his household.....but why? Because David had gotten so used to relying on his own decisions that he had left God out of the loop. Would God have said, "Flee from this arrogant upstart!" Doubtful.

But, who knows, because He wasn't asked. We are coming to interesting times. I have to ask, when are we going back to church? Well, if you've been paying attention, we've been in church. (It's not the building) But obviously, when are we going to open the doors? The answer is, for me, when God directs me to. 

We have willingly and graciously complied with this lock down, but as other places open up, if churches are left off I will have to ask if this is an attack (not by any person) on the kingdom itself. And, if so, I will say that I must obey God rather than man. 

But I will not do that because I think it's time or any other selfish reason but simply under the guidance and protection of God.

My feelings and prejudices aside, (which is hard) I want to be led by God and not by political or peer pressure of any kind. I simply want what God wants and I hope you use this time to want the same thing.

Pastor Brent

Read The Word - Then Write It

In Deuteronomy Moses is giving a dissertation on how a king should behave even before the people had asked for a king, even before they had crossed over Jordan and entered the promised land.

In the dissertation, Moses spoke of taking too many wives, gather too many horses, or too much gold, and also that the king should copy the law for himself and read it often.

But David, the first king of God's choosing didn't even follow God's warnings and encouragement for being a king that stood a chance while leading God's people.

So, in today's reading in 2 Samuel 13, one son (Amnon) rapes a daughter (Tamar) from another mother and another son (Absalom) plots and kills Amnon as David watches and eventually has to kill Absalom to retain his kingdom.

What's truly disturbing about this whole soap opera type behavior is that it mostly would have been prevented by having only one wife or two, but not many! And David would have known this had he followed God's warnings about copying and reading God's laws. 

We have so much access to the written Word and we are free to choose what version we read and study, but I believe if we will also write down what we think God is saying to us His message becomes more focused and clear.

Please use a message for God to future kings and write His Word down and He will do the writing on your heart.

Pastor Brent

David's (and ours) Confusion

When David decided to move the Ark of the Covenant he did so on a new cart, thinking that it was the newness that God might appreciate; and that, since it was the first thing the ark carried God would be pleased.

What he did not do was consult God. In his battles, David would consult the Lord and ask for a battle plan and even if he should fight the enemy at all at this time.

But in this case he didn't even talk to the priests to ascertain how the ark should be transported. It came back to them from the Philistines on a cart, why not proceed further on a cart?

So, in David's mind battles are one thing, but obvious things don't need the blessing of God. But Pastor Brent I'm not going to be transporting an ark anytime soon! Okay, but will you be doing something without actually asking God what to do? I feel that I am guilty of this so many times. And, even though it doesn't necessarily cost someone their life, it causes me to believe I have something in my power that doesn't need God's covering.

Whether it is an investment, or a purchase ,or a simple case of where to go on vacation, have I allowed God to have His say? If God really meant that His ways are not my ways, maybe I should ask what His way would be. Plausible? I think so. Prudent? I think so. Necessary? I believe so. What will God's next great adventure for you be? Let Him in on every decision and find out.

Pastor Brent

Always Consult the Lord

Even after David had taken the city of Jerusalem and defeated Saul and his sons, the Philistines came and besieged the city; and David consulted the Lord as to whether he should attack the Philistines. The Lord said yes, and David and his men routed the Philistines.

But, they came back, and, once again, David consulted the Lord to see whether He would have them attack them again. The Lord said yes, but in a completely different way than the first time. They were to wait in the rear of the army until they heard the sound of rustling in the mulberry bushes. Then the Lord defeated the enemy before them so they basically only had to chase the enemy away.

So, my question is, "Do I consult the Lord in every battle that I face or just claim my inheritance and it is the Lord's job to back me up?" We need to know our place in God. Are we more than conquerors? Yes! But what does that exactly mean? I believe it means our lives are dependent on our relationship with God. Was Jesus more than a conqueror? Yes! But He also didn't say ONE thing He didn't hear the Father say or do ONE thing He didn't see the Father do. 

So if we intend to be like Jesus don't count on your last victory as if it was you were the one winning it, count on the Lord to make Himself known at every turn and trouble. For His victories will be glorious and magnificent, bringing wonderment and exaltation to God the Father, God the Son, and the Kingdom of God.

 And, in the end, isn't the kingdom what Jesus asks us to be concerned with? Is He worried about the victory? No, He is concerned with how you get there. Glory to His Name.

Pastor Brent

Opportunity Or.....

“I am surrounded by lions, I am lying down among people breathing fire, men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongues shard-edged swords.”

— Psalm 57:5 - David future King of Israel

David wrote this Psalm as he reflected back on the time he was in the cave when Saul, the king of Israel, was hunting him down. Saul stopped and entered the very cave David was in and David's men convinced him that God had worked to deliver Saul into his hand.

So David crawled up and immediately regretted that he had been talked into killing Saul and, instead, cut off the corner of Saul's robe. As Saul left the cave and went back down the mountain David appeared and called out to Saul, trying to prove to him that David would not harm God's anointed before God's timing.

As we are in this time, what are you being talked into that is not what God has told you, but is rather what sounds good and reasonable to those giving you advice? It is for good reason the scripture says, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling!", because you are responsible for the actions you take and the things you say. Remember, Jesus told us in Matthew 5:22 that if we call someone a (good for nothing) we are in danger of the fires of Hell.

Salvation is a great responsibility, not because it is so easily lost, but because it is so easily obtained, and therefore can be easily thought to be easily disregarded. Our salvation is freely given, but has been obtained at a great price; and Father God will not let His Son be diminished by our lack of connection with the Father and the Son.

No matter how dire the circumstances look, God is only interested in WHERE you look, up or out.

Pastor Brent

To Wear You Down

In 1 Samuel 17 the Israelites are coming against the Philistines, and they are challenged by a big brute named Goliath. Which is what they were hoping he would do, you know, Go-liath somewhere else. Please, I've heard some of your jokes. Anyway, they have been at it for 40 days. Him coming out and challenging the army of Israel, them quaking in their sandals and running back to their tents.

But at the end of the 40 days David comes and hears the challenge; and promptly challenges back. When is your David going to show up in your circumstance? It's not a different person, it is a different Spirit. It is the Spirit of God saying, "You've got this, go forth and cut his big, ugly, head off."

Now, the question is, will you? Do you have a David Spirit? Can I get one? Yes!! His spirit was this.....I'm coming in the name of the LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, you're coming at me with nothing of any note.

You have that same spirit within you. It raised Christ from the dead! It will raise you from your circumstance and into a glorious victory because the Lord will not allow His Name to be disregarded. Child, lift up your head, The Lord God Almighty draws near.

Pastor Brent