Acts 9:5 4/9/2019*

""Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked."

Saul knew “what” he was talking to, but he didn’t know “who” …. The answer to his question changed him from a religious man to a Christ follower.

Saul (also known as Paul) was well versed in the Torah and Jewish traditions. He had studied the Old Testament prophets and He knew the rules and the procedures for excelling in his religious community.

But suddenly Jesus appeared and obliterated all of that.

God was no longer an ambiguous concept that was simply part of Saul’s world view.  Instantly Jesus became very real, and very personal.

On the road to Damascus, Christ made the point that He is not a subject that you study, or a distant theological concept.  He is the one and only true God, and He is very interested in having a connection with you.

God’s desire is not to have us do His work….it is to have us draw close to Him so He can work through us.

Saul’s religious agenda had to be interrupted before he could hear Jesus.  He had to be stopped in his tracks and confronted by his personal Savior. In that moment Saul realized that there is a difference in knowing there is a God…and knowing God.

What about you? Have you been so busy with your religion that you have neglected meeting the one it is about?

Be confronted by Jesus today.  Stop your programs.  Interrupt your schedule and personally come face to face with your Lord and Redeemer.  The goal of the cross was not to increase your productivity…it was to allow you rest in the arms of the Savior.

Ask the question that Saul asked…” who are you Lord?” …Your life goal should be to learn a little more each day about the answer to that question …everything else is just details.

“A rule I live by is to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend.  It is not a creed, a mere empty doctrine, but it is Christ Himself we have.”

-      D.L. Moody

Romans 10: 2-3 4/2/2019*

"For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.  Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own…”

Just because you are sincere doesn’t mean you’re not sincerely wrong. Being zealous for a god that you have created in your own mind can put you in danger.

This passage points out that the Jews, in their ignorance of God’s truth, made up their own rules, much like we have done today.

The problem with that is that human “truth” changes.  Academic books from just 50 years ago will be very different from today’s versions. Revisions must constantly be made as facts reveal inaccuracies.

But God’s truth stands unmovable…His Holy Word has been unchanged for centuries…not revised by facts, but confirmed by them. Your zeal must find its foundation in that book alone.

If your belief system requires adjusting the bible, if you feel the need to add to its teachings or minimize things you don’t agree with… then like the Jews, your zealousness is not based on knowledge. And it will fail you.

Likewise, if you claim the bible as your infallible guide but don’t know what it says you will be vulnerable to deception.

God has preserved His Word for us, and we have a choice to make. Learn His truth or make up our own. If we choose the latter, we will bear the consequences.

Be zealous men of action. But make sure your zeal is based on knowledge.  Study the truth, talk to your creator, and memorize His Word in order to set your course for the day.

Zeal based on truth will make you a fruitful man of God. Zeal based on your own rules will make you wrong but never in doubt, and that will lead to some very expensive mistakes. Choose wisely.

“A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”
– Charles Spurgeon

Isaiah 1: 16-17 3/26/2019*

“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

The verse we like to quote out of the book of Isaiah is 1:18 “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” … but we sometimes miss these two verses that come right before that.

God is telling His children to stop sinning. To turn from their duplicity and do what is right.  Hypocrisy in your life is like a blemish on your nose…it is easy for others to see, but hard to see yourself…In this chapter, God tells us to get a mirror.  He wants change…and His Son died to give you the ability to change.

God doesn’t need your money, your rituals, or your sacrifices. In verse 11 He says that He has more than enough burnt offerings and has no pleasure in empty gifts.

God wants your heart.  Stop making excuses. God wants you to live differently. Obedience is better than sacrifice. If you are doing something that is separating you from God. Stop.

“Stop doing wrong. Learn to do right” is a hard statement, but it is not complicated and the only way to accomplish it is to get started. 

Decide to follow God today - and then take the first step. Whether its lust, anger, pride, worldliness…whatever…stop giving your sin authority it no longer has.

If you’re afraid you can’t give up that sin permanently, then stop for a day…or for an hour…or a minute.  Then commit to seek His strength minute by minute, and you will discover a freedom you have never known.

We are soldiers of the cross, and soldiers fight.  God said you would be victorious. He said if you resist the devil, he will flee from you (James 4:7). So, get in the battle…We are promised victory, but you cannot win a war that you refuse to fight…. Your fight for freedom begins today.

“When all is said and done, the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every available weapon against the flesh.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Psalms 5:3 3/19/2019*25*

“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”

It took a while for me to apply this verse in my life. I was too busy, and felt I had to “hit the ground running” each morning to accomplish my “to do” list for the day.

But someone told me two things that impacted me:

1. You should tune the instrument before the concert.
2. God’s not in a hurry…Joshua 10:13 “So the sun stood still…”

First, I need to set my mind on the eternal. I need to flush the trash the world puts in my heart and begin each day focused on what matters.

Second, God is not worried about me running out of time since He controls it…He can add hours to my day.

The realization of these two facts changed my approach from “I have too much to do to spend time with God this morning” – to “I have too much to do to neglect spending time with God this morning”.

The psalmist understands the concept and even adds a final ingredient.  He “waits expectantly” … and that is the last piece of the puzzle because it addresses my focus.

The first thing I need to do each morning is get my marching orders…  Consult with God and re-set my priorities to His. I can then begin to do the things I need to accomplish but my anticipation lies in what He will do.  

What God will do is what the day is about, not the trivial things I will accomplish and forget. 

When we get in a hurry and lose focus, we are in danger of missing the point. We run the risk of letting the urgent overpower the important.

So, let me challenge you to start your day with God. That is what you were created for and is the reason you exist.  Your relationship with your Heavenly Father is the only purpose for living that won’t disappoint you.

So, decide why you get out of bed in the morning.  What is your reason for living?  If you have discovered the truth, the first thing you will do each day is let God hear your voice.

“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”  ― Martin Luther

Job 26:14 3/12/2019*27*

“Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

God is bigger than you think He is.

Job recorded some pretty astounding miracles before writing this verse ... and yet states that this is just a hint of what God can do.

We limit God with our capacity to understand. Like Peter walking on water and being startled by a wave, we forget whom we serve.  We allow temporary problems to disrupt peace that is based on eternal promises and power.

Since the God of peace is your protector. Whom shall you fear?  If God is for you who can be against you?... The truth is, it is laughable for any person or problem to oppose you considering who stands guard over you.

The reason I know God is bigger than we think He is… is because He is bigger than we are capable of thinking He is…

We don’t have the aptitude to comprehend that kind of supremacy. We are astounded when we get a glimpse, but we’re only seeing a shadow.

The creation of the universe, the parting of the Red Sea, raising Lazarus from the dead …all that was a whisper…the outskirts of an inconceivable force.

And when that same power loves and protects you…whom shall you fear?

The day will come when every knee will bow…. Scripture says the Lord will return with a Shout… But until then, rest in His whisper…the immense power of that still small voice provides assurance that is permanent.

Rest in that peace. Run in that freedom, and no matter how blown away you are by God’s response to your faith, no matter how amazed you are by His power…just know that you don’t even know.

 “God is looking for those with whom He can do the impossible - what a pity that we plan only the things that we can do by ourselves.”

-      A.W. Tozer

Esther 9:27 3/5/2019*28*

”... the Jews took it on themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed”

What dates do you celebrate the great things God has done in your life?

If you’re like me the answer is none.

In the book of Esther, the Jews are delivered from Haman’s scheme to destroy them and they “took it on themselves” to set up a custom to celebrate this rescue every year.

We should do the same…. Hallmark has no patent on holidays and there is no excuse not to habitually recall and celebrate the times God has blessed you.

My new goal is to establish a Brigman family custom where on certain dates throughout the year we get together and say, “do you remember when God…?”

Like the children of Israel, I have the ability to pass through a God-parted ocean and the next day become anxious over trivial matters. I am naturally adept at worrying … but must train myself to trust. This custom of regularly rejoicing over God’s blessings will help set my mind on God’s incredible dependability.

Revelation 2:4 says “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” … maybe we do that because we forget all that He has done for us.  

So, look through your journal, talk to your family and recall the times that God has moved in your life…then get your calendar and set up a reoccurring reminder to remember and celebrate His Grace.

From now on watch for His hand …when you see His blessings “take it on yourself” to build a monument, set a holiday, or do whatever it takes to never let His provision in your life be forgotten.

“We do our Lord an injustice when we suppose that He wrought all His mighty acts and showed Himself strong for those in the early time, but doth not perform wonders for the saints who are now upon the earth.”

-      Charles Spurgeon.

Romans 15:13 2/26/2019*

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Hope is important. Without it, people perish. We see this more and more as our society spirals into the depths of despair and anxiety.

In this verse Paul makes an amazing statement. He refers to God as “The God of Hope”. He asserts that you can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and that God will fill you with joy and peace “as you trust in Him”.

The last phrase is the key that will change your life…you must trust in Him…you must choose to trust The God that gives Hope.

This Christmas both my kids had just gotten new apartments, so I gave one of them a little wooden sign that said, “choose happy”.  I have been mocked for the gift as it did not meet “fixer upper” standards (and to be honest is was purchased on Christmas eve) but the theme rings true.

Each day I must choose what I am going to focus on…either my long list of problems, or the fact that I can trust my God to handle them.

If I focus on the problems, anxiety and restlessness will result in more stress and create more problems… If I focus on trusting God, it will cause the anxiety to subside and allow me to deal with issues I need to deal with.

There is no way to have peace without Trust. There may be problems that must be solved, and healing that needs to take place, but without trusting God there is no way to acquire hope.… Take care of yourself, address your needs, and choose to trust God, and rest in the hope that only He provides.

Deliberately pick contentment. Not in a shallow way ignoring reality but by focusing on the fact that God loves you and has promised that nothing in all creation can separate you from that love. Make that your foundation and you will have hope.

There will still be storms but anyone can ride out a storm as long as they have hope.

“Choose happy”
 - Boyd’s ugly little sign

Mark 10:21-22 2/19/2019*

^“Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

This verse begins with the fact that Jesus loved the man…he had compassion for him. He wasn’t mocking him or throwing his wealth in his face. He wanted him to follow.

But there was a problem. And it was non-negotiable … The young man claimed he had followed the law since his youth, but the first commandment says: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3) …and his love of wealth made that untrue. 

“That’s no problem” you say, I don’t love money more than Jesus…good, but is there anything you would not give up to follow Him? 

What about your public image?  What about your self-righteousness? What about your comfort or privacy? Is there an idol in your life you need to abandon?

Money isn’t a bad thing…neither is reputation, or comfort. but loving any of these more than you love Jesus is a deal breaker.

It is telling that when the man walked away there was no counter offer…Christ didn’t say “Okay, how about half of what you own?”.  Though Jesus loved him, He did not change the requirement.

The bar cannot be lowered. If you love God and something else equally, your life will be a two headed monster and you will be torn in half.

There is only room for one Ruler in your life and you must choose. If there is anything that is stealing your allegiance to Christ, you must destroy it.  Abandon everything that competes for your commitment to the awesome God who gave His Son to save you.

Enjoy the blessings God has bestowed on you, but worship the Giver, not the gift … and if He ever says leave that behind and follow me…don’t hesitate because there will be no compromise on that demand.

"More than once Jesus deliberately addressed certain issues that quickly diminished the number of onlookers. It was commitment that thinned the ranks."

- Chuck Swindoll

2 Timothy 3:16-17 2/12/2019*

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

We quote this verse often focusing almost exclusively on the “God-breathed” section.

The fact that scripture comes from the mouth of God and is infallible is incredibly important. But the end of this passage discusses what scripture is to be used for, and that is important as well.

Most of us want scripture to sooth us…help relieve our anxiety… and God’s word does that. But what about rebuking?... what about correcting and training in righteousness?

When is the last time you appreciated a good rebuke? How often do you feel gratitude when you endure some hard training? Scripture wasn’t written to just sooth you, it is intended to train and equip you to do the work of The Kingdom.

A great coach makes you both confident, and unsatisfied at the same time… sometimes by soothing you through difficult circumstances, and at other times is by rebuking you for a lack of effort or improvement.  A coach that doesn’t do both will be ineffective at best, and in reality, will probably hold you back.

Scripture is not just intended for comforting… it is spiritual training equipment.  It is there to make you better…. We sometimes confuse happiness with holiness. God never said he was always going to make you happy…He said He would set you apart…He would make you effective…He would equip you to do good work. This brings joy and fulfillment in doing what you were made to do, but it is often difficult labor.

Start using your bible as workout gear. Take the rebukes and training and apply them to yourself so you will be effective.  

Use scripture to comfort yourself and others… but don’t miss the strength and endurance that can be gained by honest self-evaluation and application of God’s living Word.

“God loves us just the way we are, but too much to leave us that way”
- Leighton Ford

Matthew 6:9-10 2/5/2019*

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus was very specific in this verse about how we should pray and yet we tend to get it backwards.

Seldom do we seek God’s will – instead our prayers focus on communicating our will… It’s okay with us if God runs heaven, but we have some very specific ideas about how things should work on earth.

We assume prayer will work like the drive through at the bank - we put our petition in the tube, shoot it into the building and wait for our directions to be accomplished. 

This is more than just a problem with method. It is a lack of trust.  It is a heart problem…a symptom of an attitude that guts our prayers of their power and weakens our walk.

So how do we fix this?  How can we learn to pray like Christ told us to?

He gives us a clue in the first part of the passage when He says the name of God is “Hallowed”.  Look up that word and you’ll find words like holy, sacred, revered.

That’s the key to your prayer life.  Catching sight of God’s glory…. you need to realize who you’re talking to...  God is all knowing and all-powerful to the point that even His name is awe inspiring.

Meditate on that as you get ready to pray.  Acknowledge that He knows best…Think about the times you were grateful you didn’t get what you asked for…the times He stopped your dream before it became a nightmare.

If you realize how “hallowed’ His name is…how overwhelmingly powerful God is, you will trust Him. And only then can you honestly pray “thy will be done”.

Seek to know God. The better you do, the more you will want His will done on earth as it is in Heaven.

“Life works better when I seek to know God’s plans and my role in them, instead of my plans and His role.”
– Bruce Marlin Hayes