There's power in confession.
In the RHEMA R.O.C.K. ministry, I've learned the importance of making a positive confession on a daily basis. What do I mean by that? Typically when we hear the word "confession", we tend to think of someone confessing their sins or of a crime. But when applied to the Christian life, confession means you are agreeing with the Word of God with your words.
An example of this would be of the salvation prayer. Romans 10:9 says, "That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Based on this verse, we see that when we make a confession in accordance with God's Word (in this case, "Jesus is Lord"), and our heart believes that word and believes Jesus was raised from the dead, we receive the awesome gift of salvation. Amen!
Back to the R.O.C.K. ministry. Every Thursday Tina and I have the amazing opportunity to lead a ministry for people who struggle with addictions and relational issues. In this 12-step program, there is a "daily confession" in which we say things together that are in line with the Word of God. These confessions are powerful and life-changing, and I've seen differences not only in my own life, but in those we minister to as well. Confession is indeed a very powerful thing!!
So what are YOU confessing today? Do you often find yourself in negative circumstances? Check your confessin'!! The interesting thing about this spiritual law is that I've seen it at work in the un-believers as well! People who have nothing to do with the Body of Christ, but have positive and upbeat words to say actually live a fairly peaceful life. Now I say "fairly peaceful" because who can have true peace without Jesus? (Amen!)
Romans 2:14-15 says, "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in their hearts..."
This verse fascinates me because even the people who profess to be "Atheist" act out the Word of God in their lives naturally! So how much more powerful is the Christian who confesses and acts out the Word of God not only naturally, but in obedience!!
Proper confession in line with the Word of God will change your life! I guarantee it! As a matter of fact, God guarantees it too -- more so than I!!
Below is a confession the Lord had me write to start confessing of my marriage. I wrote it so both Tina and I could say it, and I printed out copies and put them on my front door, on my bedside, and on Tina's bedside. With enough time and consistency of confessing this every day, I'll see everything written in it come to pass, and then some!! Be blessed my dear friends!!
Daily Confession of Marriage
Thank you Lord for my spouse!
Thank you Lord that you blessed me with the perfect companion for me.
I believe this marriage is founded on You, brought together by You, and is therefore held together and glued together perfectly by You.
I believe that what God has brought together, no man can separate!
I thank you Lord for giving me witty ideas on how to bless my spouse.
Thank you for helping me to be proactive in thinking of ways to help my spouse, and how to show my love for him/her in ways he/she will receive the best.
Thank you Lord for uniting my cares with his/hers so we can work together for the same goals, and accomplish great things in our unity with each other and with You.
I thank you Lord for helping me to communicate plainly and in a loving manner with my spouse, and keeping the lines of communication open to what You have for both of us.
Thank you Lord for my spouse, and thank you for loving me so I can show the same love to my husband/wife every moment of every day!
Amen!!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Something Overdue...
Mark 4:16-17 (ASV)
And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;
and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.
I’ve eaten more humble pie than I’ve ever eaten in my life, and I need to apologize to you.
My first year at RHEMA Bible Training Center was a radical time of transformation and building of my faith, and what I’ve learned through my awesome instructors will stay with me for the rest of my life. I sit and wait for second year with great expectation of the in-depth things I will learn with the focus of pastoral ministry!
But why the apology? Through this media, I tried to convey what was happening out here in Oklahoma and what God was teaching me. However somewhere early on, the devil got a hold of me and blinded me to how I was conveying my messages. Without realizing, I hurt many people close to me, and was in strife even with family members for many months without even knowing why. My thought process was, “Why are we divided over this theology? This is clearly what the Bible says!” So because of the blinders on my eyes, and because of my spiritual immaturity, I became more aggressive in my messages and started attacking (sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly) people who “opposed” what I was saying.
How ridiculous! Looking back on it now, what I was saying was right, but how I was saying it, and when (timing) and why (motives) I said it was completely off base. In fact, some of what I said came completely from my flesh, said in a torrent of emotions, and not after patient prayer and consideration. I was trying to be the one who convicts, instead of letting the Word of God do that through His loving and patient work with each of us.
Thank God, much of the damage I did has been reconciled, and the Lord has worked in my heart to make me realize just how foolish you can look when making hasty and emotional decisions.
Now why bring up the passage above? Because that described me during the first few months here at school. I received all the teaching with great gladness and wanted to share it with everybody. But when I saw “persecution” arise because of it, I became overly emotional and put that emotion in my writings and responses to those who challenged me. So, “Straightway, I stumbled…”
I’m sorry, my dear friends and family. I’ve done a terrible job of portraying the great and balanced teaching I’ve received here. Through my flesh and emotions, I became the very thing I hate – that is, an immature, outspoken Christian that gives honest, balanced, Word-living Christians a bad name.
So I’m making a decision. You may notice that most of the history of this blog has been taken off. The reason for that is because I’m going to edit each post to take the emotion out of it and put the balanced Word of God in it, then re-post it. This will allow the Lord to speak to both of us; me as I edit my mistakes and remember where I came from and how much I’ve grown since then, and you through the Word that is in the refreshed and encouraging message. Rest assured, if the message does not encourage (or challenge and encourage), it will not be posted until it fits that criteria!
I’m looking forward to seeing you all very soon! Tina and I are making a trip to PA in August, at which time I will be all the more excited to embrace you all, and we can mutually edify each other!
Keep your eyes open! As the Lord told me at the end of this first year of school, “People after their first year at RHEMA think they know everything. But after their second year they realize they know nothing!” So God intends to do great things here – it’s amazing what humble pie can do! Amen?
I love you all, and hope very soon to see you!!
-Brad
And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;
and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.
I’ve eaten more humble pie than I’ve ever eaten in my life, and I need to apologize to you.
My first year at RHEMA Bible Training Center was a radical time of transformation and building of my faith, and what I’ve learned through my awesome instructors will stay with me for the rest of my life. I sit and wait for second year with great expectation of the in-depth things I will learn with the focus of pastoral ministry!
But why the apology? Through this media, I tried to convey what was happening out here in Oklahoma and what God was teaching me. However somewhere early on, the devil got a hold of me and blinded me to how I was conveying my messages. Without realizing, I hurt many people close to me, and was in strife even with family members for many months without even knowing why. My thought process was, “Why are we divided over this theology? This is clearly what the Bible says!” So because of the blinders on my eyes, and because of my spiritual immaturity, I became more aggressive in my messages and started attacking (sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly) people who “opposed” what I was saying.
How ridiculous! Looking back on it now, what I was saying was right, but how I was saying it, and when (timing) and why (motives) I said it was completely off base. In fact, some of what I said came completely from my flesh, said in a torrent of emotions, and not after patient prayer and consideration. I was trying to be the one who convicts, instead of letting the Word of God do that through His loving and patient work with each of us.
Thank God, much of the damage I did has been reconciled, and the Lord has worked in my heart to make me realize just how foolish you can look when making hasty and emotional decisions.
Now why bring up the passage above? Because that described me during the first few months here at school. I received all the teaching with great gladness and wanted to share it with everybody. But when I saw “persecution” arise because of it, I became overly emotional and put that emotion in my writings and responses to those who challenged me. So, “Straightway, I stumbled…”
I’m sorry, my dear friends and family. I’ve done a terrible job of portraying the great and balanced teaching I’ve received here. Through my flesh and emotions, I became the very thing I hate – that is, an immature, outspoken Christian that gives honest, balanced, Word-living Christians a bad name.
So I’m making a decision. You may notice that most of the history of this blog has been taken off. The reason for that is because I’m going to edit each post to take the emotion out of it and put the balanced Word of God in it, then re-post it. This will allow the Lord to speak to both of us; me as I edit my mistakes and remember where I came from and how much I’ve grown since then, and you through the Word that is in the refreshed and encouraging message. Rest assured, if the message does not encourage (or challenge and encourage), it will not be posted until it fits that criteria!
I’m looking forward to seeing you all very soon! Tina and I are making a trip to PA in August, at which time I will be all the more excited to embrace you all, and we can mutually edify each other!
Keep your eyes open! As the Lord told me at the end of this first year of school, “People after their first year at RHEMA think they know everything. But after their second year they realize they know nothing!” So God intends to do great things here – it’s amazing what humble pie can do! Amen?
I love you all, and hope very soon to see you!!
-Brad
Monday, April 25, 2011
And of His Fullness...
I just stumbled on something awesome.
I was in prayer, and reading through Ephesians 3, I came to Paul’s prayer in verses 14-21. What I want to focus on is the last part of his prayer, verse 19-21. Take a look with me:
“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
Now when I saw what I have in bold in verse 19, I hollered out loud! You mean to tell me I can be filled with the fullness of God Himself? It sounded too good to be true! Looking into the Greek, the words “Ye might be filled” here mean; “to cause to abound, to render full, to cram as in a fisher’s net, to perfectly supply.” So we get the idea of having an exact measure, but then even more crammed on top of that!
I wasn’t satisfied with just one scripture when I saw this, so I asked the Lord what more proof He could produce for me. He immediately brought me to John 1:16 where it says:
“And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
This is getting even more awesome! By receiving through faith the mighty empowering grace of God we have been filled with His fullness!! It still seems too good to be true, so I went digging further, trying to prove this wrong. But the more I dug, the more right and true it became. Look at John 1:12;
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power (right, privilege) to become the sons of God…”
This told me even more! Since I’ve received Jesus, He gave me the right and privilege to become a son of the Most High, meaning I am part of His family. And if a part of His family, then a full benefactor of the inheritance that is in Christ, because I am a co-heir with Him!
But I’m still not satisfied! I still didn’t feel convinced after having 3 witnesses of this truth. I’m still out to prove it wrong, because it just seems too good to be true. Much to my surprise, God had more! Look in Colossians 2:9-10;
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power…”
What is this saying exactly? Since I dwell now in Him, I am made complete in Him. Furthermore, since I dwell in Him, I dwell in the fullness of the Godhead, therefore I have the fullness of the Godhead in me because my spirit is joined with His (and this is ONLY because of what Christ has done that I can say that statement)!
This is still too good to be true. I must be missing something…something must not be right here. I looked further, and found AGAIN, it is absolutely right!! Ephesians 1:22-23 says:
“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
So if I am part of the church, I am part of His body. And if I’m part of His body, I am part of the fullness that fills HIM. This shows to me the character of my Covenant Partner. God made Himself to be our fullness, so that we can be made His fullness.
I can’t disprove it anymore! The statement, “…that you might be filled with all the fullness of God” is absolutely something we can obtain here in this earth in this life! After spending time trying to prove my thought wrong, I only ended up proving it more right! There’s a verse in Psalm that brings in the Old Testament confirmation, it’s found in chapter 16, verse 11:
“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Guess what; do you know where we’re seated, spiritually speaking? At the right hand of the Father, in Christ!! It says so right in Ephesians 2:6;
“…hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
How can we possibly receive this fullness of God? By faith, with the knowledge that you are seated at the right hand of the Father in Christ, receiving everything that Jesus is receiving because when He receives, we receive!
I can now without any doubt in my heart say this in faith; “I’m filled with the fullness of God Himself by faith because I’m seated at the right hand of the Father in Christ!” AMEN!!!
Bless you, friends! I trust this helps you if you have low self-esteem or suffer from some form of depression. Remember, God loves you and is not mad at you anymore!! Christ did an AWESOME work on the cross for us, and being made covenant partners together with Him, we share in all the benefits that He has!!
As always, don’t take my word for it! Study the scriptures yourself and get your own revelation from this!! Who knows, you might even find out more than you expected!!
Yours in Christ,
-Brad
I was in prayer, and reading through Ephesians 3, I came to Paul’s prayer in verses 14-21. What I want to focus on is the last part of his prayer, verse 19-21. Take a look with me:
“And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
Now when I saw what I have in bold in verse 19, I hollered out loud! You mean to tell me I can be filled with the fullness of God Himself? It sounded too good to be true! Looking into the Greek, the words “Ye might be filled” here mean; “to cause to abound, to render full, to cram as in a fisher’s net, to perfectly supply.” So we get the idea of having an exact measure, but then even more crammed on top of that!
I wasn’t satisfied with just one scripture when I saw this, so I asked the Lord what more proof He could produce for me. He immediately brought me to John 1:16 where it says:
“And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
This is getting even more awesome! By receiving through faith the mighty empowering grace of God we have been filled with His fullness!! It still seems too good to be true, so I went digging further, trying to prove this wrong. But the more I dug, the more right and true it became. Look at John 1:12;
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power (right, privilege) to become the sons of God…”
This told me even more! Since I’ve received Jesus, He gave me the right and privilege to become a son of the Most High, meaning I am part of His family. And if a part of His family, then a full benefactor of the inheritance that is in Christ, because I am a co-heir with Him!
But I’m still not satisfied! I still didn’t feel convinced after having 3 witnesses of this truth. I’m still out to prove it wrong, because it just seems too good to be true. Much to my surprise, God had more! Look in Colossians 2:9-10;
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power…”
What is this saying exactly? Since I dwell now in Him, I am made complete in Him. Furthermore, since I dwell in Him, I dwell in the fullness of the Godhead, therefore I have the fullness of the Godhead in me because my spirit is joined with His (and this is ONLY because of what Christ has done that I can say that statement)!
This is still too good to be true. I must be missing something…something must not be right here. I looked further, and found AGAIN, it is absolutely right!! Ephesians 1:22-23 says:
“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
So if I am part of the church, I am part of His body. And if I’m part of His body, I am part of the fullness that fills HIM. This shows to me the character of my Covenant Partner. God made Himself to be our fullness, so that we can be made His fullness.
I can’t disprove it anymore! The statement, “…that you might be filled with all the fullness of God” is absolutely something we can obtain here in this earth in this life! After spending time trying to prove my thought wrong, I only ended up proving it more right! There’s a verse in Psalm that brings in the Old Testament confirmation, it’s found in chapter 16, verse 11:
“Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
Guess what; do you know where we’re seated, spiritually speaking? At the right hand of the Father, in Christ!! It says so right in Ephesians 2:6;
“…hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
How can we possibly receive this fullness of God? By faith, with the knowledge that you are seated at the right hand of the Father in Christ, receiving everything that Jesus is receiving because when He receives, we receive!
I can now without any doubt in my heart say this in faith; “I’m filled with the fullness of God Himself by faith because I’m seated at the right hand of the Father in Christ!” AMEN!!!
Bless you, friends! I trust this helps you if you have low self-esteem or suffer from some form of depression. Remember, God loves you and is not mad at you anymore!! Christ did an AWESOME work on the cross for us, and being made covenant partners together with Him, we share in all the benefits that He has!!
As always, don’t take my word for it! Study the scriptures yourself and get your own revelation from this!! Who knows, you might even find out more than you expected!!
Yours in Christ,
-Brad
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