FRC Internet Campus Blog

Only Love

2009-08-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Only love. Only love can leave such a mark.

At the Leadership Summit that just passed a couple days ago, Bono was one of the speakers. He had about a five minute long intro video talking about the conditions going on in the world around him, and the music that it was set to was “Magnificent” by U2. In that song, the lyrics that gets me every time is “Only love. Only love can leave such a mark…”

Wow! What a true statement. Only love CAN leave such a mark. Our love today, to the people all around us, will leave a lasting impression, a lasting mark, a lasting legacy. Think about God’s love. Think about Him sending His son to die for us… His love… left SUCH a mark! The Bible commands us to love our neighbor (everyone around us). That’s a commandment not a suggestion! Let us love, because it’s so true… only LOVE can leave such a mark!

Ileana Ortiz
Director of Online Commmunities

Devotional Update

2009-06-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

I know it's been awhile since my last devotional post. I have been praying about these and have something exciting and new to announce in the next week or so regarding our morning time together. In the meantime, I strongly encourage you to check out www.crosswalk.com/devotionals to start your day!

Talk to you soon!
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Disappointment"

2009-06-10T02:03:00.000-07:00

The Cure for Disappointment
by Max Lucado

Don’t ask God to do what you want. Ask God to do what is right.

When God doesn’t do what we want, it’s not easy. Never has been. Never will be. But faith is the conviction that God knows more than we do about this life and he will get us through it.

Disappointment is cured by revamped expectations.

I like that story about the fellow who went to the pet store in search of a singing parakeet. Seems he was a bachelor and his house was too quiet. The store owner had just the bird for him, so the man bought it. The next day the bachelor came home from work to a house full of music. He went to the cage to feed the bird and noticed for the first time that the parakeet had only one leg.

He felt cheated that he’d been sold a one-legged bird, so he called and complained.

“What do you want,” the store owner responded, “a bird who can sing or a bird who can dance?”

Good question for times of disappointment.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/upwords/ (Week of June 5, 2009)

Tuesday - No Greater Love

2009-06-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

No Greater Love
by Greg Laurie

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.”
—John 15:13

When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem for the birth of her son, the Messiah, there was no room for them in the inn. And that essentially foreshadowed the treatment that Jesus was to receive at the hands of people for the rest of His life.

There were many attempts on His life, beginning with Herod’s order to kill all the children of two years of age and under in Bethlehem, because he was threatened by what he had heard about a baby king.

We know there were many times when the multitudes wanted to kill Jesus. On one occasion, when they were about to throw Him over a cliff, Jesus just walked through the midst of them. His time had not yet come.

You see, no one could take the life of Jesus against His will. Pilate did not take His life. The soldiers that pounded the spikes through His hands and feet did not take His life. Jesus had the power to get out of that situation at any moment, had He chosen to do so.

Instead, He laid His life down. In speaking of His life, Jesus said, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (John 10:18).

In the Garden of Gethsemane, when soldiers came to arrest Him, He could have said, “I am. . . . and you were. Bye.” But He chose not to do that.

Instead, He laid aside the privileges of deity and willingly laid His life down. So whenever you are tempted to doubt God’s love for you, take a long, hard look at the cross.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/harvest-daily/ (June 5, 2009)

Monday - Attitude

2009-06-08T02:59:00.000-07:00

A Prosperous Attitude
by Bayless Conley

In our previous devotional, we learned that God is pleased to bless us. But that prosperity must be accompanied by a special attitude…an attitude that is captured in 1 Kings 3.

This passage records God’s appearance to Solomon in a dream at Gibeon. In the dream God said to Solomon, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

What an incredible statement, and question! Equally incredible is Solomon’s response, which revealed the attitude of his heart, the attitude which must accompany our prosperity. That response is captured in verses 7-10,

"Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.

God is pleased when, in our hearts, we put others before ourselves. God delights in prospering us when prosperity is not our chief aim. When we get it right, and in our hearts we do place others before ourselves, God can bless us beyond our wildest dreams.

God will give you everything you need to fulfill His plan for your life. He will give you richly all things to enjoy, as long as you have a prosperous attitude that puts His plans and His people first.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/answers-for-each-day/ (June 7, 2009)

Friday - Teenager?

2009-06-05T02:11:00.000-07:00

Let's round out the week by looking at another potential barrier to the growth of your family... the drama that IS a teenager. Love this devotional by Charles Swindoll...I hope it touches your heart as well. If you aren't dealing with teens in your home...you may know someone who does and this can help them....or you may have a teenager someday soon... In either case...enjoy!

Pastor Brian

Teenage Turbulence
by Charles R. Swindoll

Matthew 18:6

While I was away for a couple weeks of vacation many years ago, I read a book by David Elkind describing the staggering number of teenagers who lack the adult guidance and support they need to make a healthy transition into adulthood. His choice of title was appropriate: All Grown Up and No Place to Go. The book goes to the heart of the issue and addresses the breakdown of parental security and stability. Awash in the tide of social change and absorbed in their own voyage, seeking self-fulfillment and personal discovery, parents are often so overwhelmed that they have only minimal energy to invest in their teenager's struggles. And when you add the fact that today's parents are caught in the crossfire of social philosophies, moral standards, and conflicting value systems, even committed and well-meaning parents (especially those who desire to lead with fairness and tolerance) often lack the decisiveness teens need and expect. I quote:

Caught between two value systems, parents become ambivalent, and teenagers perceive their ambivalence as license. Failing to act, we force our teenagers to do so, before they are ready. Because we are reluctant to take a firm stand, we deny teenagers the benefit of our parental concern and we impel them into premature adulthood. We say, honestly, "I don't know" but teenagers hear, "They don't care."

As a father who reared four children through their teenage years, I was naturally interested in any reliable and insightful counsel to help make this journey as wise yet pleasant as possible. While I may not applaud everything Elkind suggested, I did find his words provocative. His ideas became food for thought.

While chewing on and digesting them, I was struck with an interesting analogy between today's teenagers and adolescent Christians. By that I mean a believer who is somewhere between childhood and adulthood. It's impossible to measure this individual by years---some Christians are in their teens two years after conversion, others aren't there until they've been in God's family for 20 years or more. But it seems that all who press on to maturity must endure such a turbulent passage.

It's tough enough to cope with the changes and handle the peer pressure and make more right decisions than wrong ones during those impressionable years . . . but could it be that the thing that complicates matters most is the ambivalence of those who are supposed to be the models? Perhaps the lack of stability, integrity, and decisiveness within the ranks of leadership causes many a Christian in the turbulent "teen" years to misread the signals and conclude, "They don't care."

I am just about convinced that it is the teenaged believer, struggling to reach a measure of spiritual equilibrium, who becomes the most disillusioned when one of his or her "spiritual parents" defects or lives hypocritically. No wonder Jesus assaulted the Pharisees! And that explains His eloquent warning about hanging a millstone around the necks of adults who cause those who are growing to stumble. I always wondered why He spoke those words with such severity. The reason is obvious. Stumbling, disillusioned believers in the fragile teen years easily lose their way en route to adulthood.

Maybe that's why so many in the "family" find themselves all grown up with no place to go.

Growing young Christians are watching you! How much stability, integrity, and decisiveness are you demonstrating?
JOURNAL IT: If you live with a teenager...are you living a life of hypocrisy? Write a quick prayer to God asking Him to help you live a life that reflects Christ directly to your child... and ask for forgiveness if you've blown it. He will forgive you!

Thursday - How to Bust Through Barriers

2009-06-04T02:04:00.000-07:00

Before we head into "Prayer Friday" I wanted to give you one last piece of the puzzle of how to overcome the barriers that stand between you (and me) from reaching our God-potential. What is it that will propel you past the pain? Help you hurdle the hurt? It's faith.

Pastor Brian

Making a Priority of Faith
by Bayless Conley
When we talk about what pleases God, I think we must put faith at the top of the list. Very simply, faith pleases God.

Hebrews 11—often called the faith chapter—makes it very clear how vital faith is to pleasing God. In fact, Hebrews 11:6 tells us,

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Notice it doesn’t say, “Without faith it is very difficult to please Him.” No, it is impossible to please God without faith. You and I must learn to trust God if we are to bring a smile to the face of God.

Some people say, “Well, there is just too much teaching on faith.” I disagree. Why? Because it takes faith to please God. Without it, we have no chance at all of pleasing Him. In fact, Hebrews 10:38 states,

Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

That is pretty black and white, isn’t it? If you desire to please God, it starts with faith, trusting God completely.

I challenge you today to ask yourself, “Do I really trust God with every part of my life? Do I place my faith in Him moment by moment? Or do I refuse to trust Him as I should?”

If this is an area of struggle for you, determine today to spend time in the Word of God. For the Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Ask God to speak to you through His Word. Your faith and trust in Him will grow. Our great God is worthy of your trust.
Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/answers-for-each-day/ (June 3, 2009)

JOURNAL IT: In your journal this morning, I want you to write a number from 1 to 10. Where would you say your life is in terms of living by faith? A 1 is faithless and a 10 is someone who lives totally by their faith? Be honest. If it is below 5, write a couple of things down in your journal that might help you change this...

Wednesday - Your Calling?

2009-06-03T02:25:00.000-07:00

I get lost.... a lot... and not very far from my house. So I've decided that every trip that is further than 30 miles or so, I am going to have a plan. I go to Google maps...print out a trip route... plug the address into my iPhone GPS... and check the route a few times before heading out. I can't just go out there and "wing it" anymore.

Unfortunately, so many of us are "winging it" when it comes to facing the obstacles that we find in our way. If we ever hope to avoid them or breakthru, we've got to develop a plan of action. We all have to have a way to stay on task and focus on what we are called to do. Today's devotional, by Max Lucado, addresses this whole concept of plan. I hope it brightens your heart like it did mine.

Pastor Brian

Focus on the Task at Hand
by Max Lucado

Life is tough enough as it is. It’s even tougher when we’re headed in the wrong direction.

One of the incredible abilities of Jesus was to stay on target. His life never got off track. Not once do we find him walking down the wrong side of the fairway. He had no money, no computers, no jets, no administrative assistants or staff; yet Jesus did what many of us fail to do. He kept his life on course.

As Jesus looked across the horizon of his future, he could see many targets. Many flags were flapping in the wind, each of which he could have pursued. He could have been a political revolutionary. He could have been a national leader. He could have been content to be a teacher and educate minds or to be a physician and heal bodies. But in the end he chose to be a Savior and save souls.

Anyone near Christ for any length of time heard it from Jesus himself. “The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them” (Luke 19:10). “The Son of Man did not come to be served. He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people” (Mark 10:45).

The heart of Christ was relentlessly focused on one task. The day he left the carpentry shop of Nazareth he had one ultimate aim—the cross of Calvary. He was so focused that his final words were, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

How could Jesus say he was finished? There were still the hungry to feed, the sick to heal, the untaught to instruct, and the unloved to love. How could he say he was finished? Simple. He had completed his designated task. His commission was fulfilled. The painter could set aside his brush, the sculptor lay down his chisel, the writer put away his pen. The job was done.
Wouldn’t you love to be able to say the same? Wouldn’t you love to look back on your life and know you had done what you were called to do?

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/upwords/ (Week of May 29)

JOURNAL IT: Can you say that? Are you doing what you have been called to do? In your journal today, write a prayer out that asks God to show you your purpose...and how to overcome any obstacle in the way of achieving it!

Tuesday - "Temptation"

2009-06-02T02:57:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Pastor Troy talked about facing obstacles in our lives. As I read through a few of the devotionals written on the Internet this morning...I ran across this one by Greg Laurie. It talks about one of my greatest obstacles...temptation. Am I the only one? If not...read on...

Pastor Brian

An Example to Follow

For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
—Hebrews 2:18

Although He was God, Jesus experienced human limitations like we do.

Not only was He hungry, not only was He sleepy, not only was He weary and lonely, but He also was tempted. Jesus felt the presence and pressure of temptation just as we do. He didn’t have a sinful nature, but He experienced temptation.

Now why is it important for us to be aware of the fact that Jesus was tempted? It was so we could know that we follow a God who understands what we’re going through.

As the apostle Paul wrote, “In all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).

Jesus also left us an example to follow as we face temptation. He occupied ground that we, too, can occupy.

It’s important to note that Jesus did not meet Satan with His considerable supernatural power. He could have said, “I don’t want to fool around with you right now. I have other things to do.” And He could have disappeared. He could have called on the angels to intervene. He could have even overruled Satan because of His clear authority over him.

Instead, He met the devil with the written Word. He countered every temptation with Scripture (see Luke 4:1–13).

So when you are tempted, you also need to have Scripture stored in your mind and heart to deflect the blows of the devil. When you have memorized Scripture, when you have gotten it ingrained in your memory banks, it is there to use during times of temptation.
Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/harvest-daily/ (June 1, 2009)

JOURNAL IT: What is your greatest temptation? Today in your journal...take a few minutes and pray over it...ask God to give you the strength to overcome that temptation if you face it today.

Monday - "Longevity"

2009-06-01T02:25:00.000-07:00

I get asked all the time...how can I grow spiritually? What do I have to do to feel closer to God? What is it going to take? As is the case with so much in life...it takes a commitment to those disciplines that we know we are supposed to have...but may struggle with from time to time. It is my prayer that today's devotional will help you see things with Caleb's perspective...

Pastor Brian

Spiritual Longevity
by Greg Laurie
“Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day. . . . ”
Joshua 14:12

What is the secret to spiritual longevity? Caleb, one of the unsung heroes of the Bible, stands as a shining example of someone who never lost his edge spiritually. He was faithful to the very end.

When he was 85 years old, Caleb said, “I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain . . . ” (Joshua 14:11–12).

But there is another statement of Caleb’s that we should take note of: “I wholly followed the Lord my God” (verse 8).

What does that tells us? To be winners in this spiritual race, we, like Caleb, must follow the Lord our God completely—not half-heartedly, but fully. It means giving 100 percent of ourselves to God.

When Caleb said, “Give me this mountain,” it is worth noting that Hebron was one of the most treacherous, mountainous areas of the Promised Land. In fact, there were some formidable adversaries there. No one wanted to take them on—except for 85-year-old Caleb.

Caleb trusted in God’s promises. He had waited 45 years. So he said, “Give me this mountain. In fact, I have already picked out the area. I want Hebron.” People must have thought Caleb was out of his mind.

But I love Caleb’s boldness. He took the mountain. He overcame his adversaries. And he was victorious. While others looked back, Caleb looked forward.

That is an essential key to spiritual longevity. You are always moving forward. You are always seeking to grow spiritually—and never looking back.
Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/harvest-daily/ (May 29, 2009)

JOURNAL IT: In your journal today, list 2 things that are holding you back from growing spiritually...and make that your goal this week. Work on overcoming those things...pray, fast, journal, meditate, and always move forward... Watch how fast you'll grow and connect in a stronger way with our loving Savior!

Friday - "Just Ask..."

2009-05-29T02:46:00.000-07:00

How many times have you REALLY wanted God to do something? You sit, you pray, you worry, you fret...but you forget the most important thing to do...ask! I do that too much... God wants us to come to Him for everything...

This morning's devotional talks all about how our heavenly Father wants to help us through the most difficult times in our lives...if we just ask...

Pastor Brian

Inquire of the Lord
by Bayless Conley
1 Samuel 30:8 tells us what David did next as He sought to deal with the troubles that besieged him. After grieving and strengthening himself in the Lord, here is what he did,

So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”

David inquired of the Lord.

There is a story in the book of Joshua that shows the importance of inquiring of God, of seeking His guidance, no matter how things may seem.

The nation of Israel had entered the Promised Land and they were gaining great victories. One day a group of Gibeonites showed up. They had bags full of old moldy bread, their sandals were worn out, their water skins were cracked and old, and their clothing was old and worn.

They told Joshua and the leaders that they had come from a country far, far away. They went on to tell them they had heard about the great things God was doing through Israel, and they wanted to make sure they would not be attacked. So they had traveled from afar to make a covenant so that when Israel eventually reached them in the future, they wouldn’t attack the Gibeonites.

The Bible says specifically that Joshua and the men did not inquire of the Lord. Rather, they looked at the people’s provisions…the moldy bread, the old sandals, the old water skins…and they made a covenant with them.

It turns out they were the next door neighbors and Israel had been deceived. And it caused huge problems in Israel’s future.

I am telling you, things are not always as they appear. It pays to inquire of the Lord when you are going through difficult times. He will lead you.
Copied From: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/answers-for-each-day/

JOURNAL IT: Take a couple of minutes this morning in your journal and ask God for help...with an open, honest, and expectant heart. It may feel strange praying for yourself...but it shouldn't. You are His child...He loves you dearly...and wants to help you through...

See you online this weekend!

Thursday - "Getting Stronger"

2009-05-28T02:43:00.000-07:00

Last night I hit the wall. Not literally...just in a mental/exercise sort-of way. I was running on my treadmill and crossed the threshold between fitness and pain. My legs ached...I was sweating...every fiber of my muscle wanted to stop. I kept going. Why? That's how you get stronger...when the muscle tears and rebuilds it gets stronger. When I push myself past the point of wanting to quit, I grow. Today's devotional is all about that... what do you do to strengthen yourself?

What do you do after the pain?

Enjoy!
Pastor Brian

Strengthen Yourself
by Bayless Conley

For today’s devotional, I would like you to read 1 Samuel 30:6 again as it contains another truth I want you to see,

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. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

Notice that this verse begins by saying, David was greatly distressed, but it ends this way, But David strengthened himself in the Lord.

It is all right to weep, but when you are done, you need to strengthen yourself. It is all right to grieve, it is all right to express those emotions, but when you are done, you need to strengthen yourself in the Lord.

You need to connect with God in whatever way you find is best for you. If it is lifting your hands and worshiping Him, then that is what you should do.

If it is getting into His Word (which I would suggest for everyone) and spending time feeding your spirit, then do that. If it is reminding yourself about how God has helped you in the past, you need to do that.

Personally I believe that is what David was doing when the Bible says he “strengthened himself in the Lord.” I think David was reminding himself about:

· How God delivered him from the lion and the bear;

· How God delivered Goliath into his hands; and

· How God delivered him when Saul tried to kill him.

I am confident David was thinking, “You know, God hasn’t delivered me so miraculously in my past to get to this point and to let go of my hand and abandon me. I know He is going to help me now.”

David was strengthening himself in the Lord, and you need to learn to do the same thing.
COPIED FROM: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/answers-for-each-day/ (May 27, 2009)

JOURNAL IT: What do you need to keep doing that you want to quit? Today in your journal write down at least one thing you are going to re-dedicate yourself to doing. How will you strengthen yourself in the Lord?

Wednesday - "Taking Responsibility"

2009-05-27T02:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Wow! Bayless is really hitting it on the head with me this week... Yesterday we talked about the appropriateness of sadness in the life of a Christ-follower... Today, we are going to look at taking responsibility for our own actions. A great discipline...and one that all of us at one time or another have struggled with. I pray that each of us would read these words and grow more like Christ through living them out...

Pastor Brian

Taking Responsibility
by Bayless Conley
In the devotional yesterday, we saw how it is okay when we experience loss to weep and to grieve. I want to point you to verse 6 of that same passage to learn another important lesson related to experiencing loss. 1 Samuel 30:6 says,

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. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him. David was not only grieving for the loss of his own family, but he was now being blamed for the whole thing. In fact, they were blaming him to the point that they wanted to take his life.

When you experience troubles, do not be someone who always wants to blame others. I know that it is human nature to want to point the finger and to lash out at somebody else when we are in trouble or when we have experienced loss.

In fact, I think blaming others is just part of our fallen fleshly DNA. Just take a look at what Adam and Eve did in the garden when they messed up. When God turned up and asked what happened, Adam said, “Well, it’s the woman that You gave me. She gave me from the tree, and I ate.”

And when God asked Eve what happened, she replied, “Well, it was the serpent. It was the snake.”

So Adam blamed his wife, and blamed God who gave him his wife, and Eve blamed the snake. Neither Adam nor Eve took personal responsibility. It was somebody else’s fault.

If the problems you are experiencing today are your fault, take responsibility, and do not blame others.
Copied From: May 26 - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/answers-for-each-day/

JOURNAL IT: Today in your journal, think of a time when you said it was "somebody else's fault" when it was actually yours... and write a note asking forgiveness for that action. The falsely accused may never see it, but God does... and that is incredibly important.

See you in the morning,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Weeping"

2009-05-26T02:52:00.000-07:00

Even in the most joyful and fulfilled life, there will be times of sadness...times of weeping. As Christ-followers, is it alright to be sad sometimes? Are we supposed to ALWAYS feel good about our circumstances? Today's devotional addresses this directly.

I hope it brings you some peace like it did me.

Pastor Brian

Weeping
by Bayless Conley

In 1 Samuel 30:1-4 we read,

Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

David experienced the sudden loss of his family and it tore his heart out. Notice that David and his men lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep.

Feeling sorrow and anguish and expressing it is not wrong. In fact, it is normal, especially when you have experienced a sudden and personal loss.

Perhaps, like David, you have lost family members. Or maybe you have wayward children. They were brought up in the way of the Lord, but they are living a lifestyle that is diametrically opposed to the ways of God right now, and your heart is broken when you think about it.

Maybe you have experienced some other loss in your life, something of value, something that is important to you, something that has meaning to you. If so, it is okay to grieve!

God has wired us to be emotional beings. We are not robots. It is right for loss to affect us on a personal, emotional level. As the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:4, there is a time to weep.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).

Sorrow has its place and its time, but there is also a time for it to end and to be replaced with something else.

JOURNAL IT: In your journal today, write down how you feel. Good, bad, up, or down...thank God for the opportunities He has given you in that circumstance to grow closer to His character.

Monday - "Through His Eyes"

2009-05-25T02:56:00.000-07:00

I really like this devotion from Greg Laurie... it captures my heart for each one of you...that today we would see the world differently... With lenses of grace, gratitude, love, peace, patience, kindness, and empathy. I pray daily that God would allow me to experience life like He intended...and I think this devotional is a step toward that direction.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Through His Eyes
by Greg Laurie

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
—Matthew 9:36

Everywhere Jesus went, He was very much in demand. There was always a crowd around Him, and understandably so. He was God in human form, walking through their streets. Everyone wanted something.

There would be those who always wanted a touch, like the woman who had spent all of her money on doctors, trying to be cured, but to no avail. When she touched the hem of His garment, she was restored and healed.

There is the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman who brought her demon-possessed child to Jesus, and the story of Jairus, who came and asked Jesus to touch his sick daughter.

Everyone needed something, but Jesus knew they needed more than just a healing, more than just a touch, and more than just a word. He knew the deepest need was in their soul.

We see this demonstrated time and again. Despite His incredibly busy schedule, He went out of His way to meet a Samaritan woman in a little town where Jacob’s well was located, even though she had no idea she had an appointment with God. She went to that well at that time of day because she was a social outcast.

Sometimes when people do things that are wrong, we get angry with them. Not only do we hate the sin, but we end up hating the sinner also.

Yet God wants us to see that while we can hate the sin, there is still a sinner who is loved by God. Maybe no one has ever told him or her there is another way to live.

May God give us eyes to see this world as He sees it.

Copied from http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/pastors/harvest-daily/ (May 22, 2009)

JOURNAL IT: In your journal, commit to looking at people today the way God sees them...loving them the way He so willingly loves you... It will CHANGE your life!

Friday - "A Suggestion" (VIDEO)

2009-05-22T02:19:00.000-07:00

See you this weekend!
Pastor Brian

Thursday - "God is God"

2009-05-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.” Rev. 1:8

The past few days we've talked about fear, sharing your store, and prayer... all 3 key behaviors to have in place as we prepare for the return of Christ. Today's verse, Revelation 1:8, helps us to remember that God has been here since the very beginning. He watched Adam and Eve in the garden and saw you wash the dishes last night...

He is everywhere. He has always been.

He forever shall be.

As we spend some time looking at the book of Revelation, it is important to reflect on the permanence of God. Nobody created Him...He has always existed. He is older than the Earth and will never die... He owns every animal on every hill and will never need anything. He possesses what we claim to own and knows more than we could learn in a thousand lifetimes.

God is God.

That same God who created something from nothing is going to be with you until the end... today's verse says the time that is "still to come." The future. Jesus will stand beside you through the events described in Revelation...no need to fear, or worry, or doubt.

Simply trust.

God is God.

JOURNAL IT: Today in your journal, write a list of 5 things you can give over to God that you have been stressing about... 10 things you will no longer worry about because He is God and He can handle it.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Prayer"

2009-05-20T02:21:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of days, we've talked about the importance of not being afraid... and sharing your story. As we continue our series "The End" there is yet another important part of preparing ourselves for the return of Christ... prayer.

Praying in a Crisis
by Dr. Charles Stanley
Numbers 21:6-8

When was the last time you got on your knees and cried out to God about something other than personal issues? We’re often so involved in our own busy lives that we fail to see the crises others are facing. I’m talking about situations that don’t affect our immediate family at all, rather than, say, the deployment of a soldier we know or a terrorist attack on our land. But whether circumstances touch total strangers or hit “close to home,” doesn’t it often feel as if such matters are just too big for one person’s prayer to make a difference?

This is a lie straight from Satan. He wants us to assume that cataclysmic or tragic problems are too vast for our petition to have any effect. Scripture disagrees: James 5:16 assures us that “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” And verse 17 provides a powerful example: “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.”

Almighty God is able to heal, bring peace, and change circumstances. And He has chosen to let His children participate in the process through prayer. He instructs us to talk with Him about everything (Phil. 4:6) and promises to hear when sin does not obstruct our communication (Ps. 66:18).

The next time you hear of a tragedy or problem—regardless of whether it affects people you know or perfect strangers—resist the temptation to distance yourself from it. You can have an impact on the lives of others when you intercede on their behalf. So let news of a crisis become a catalyst for prayer.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/in_touch/ (May 19, 2009)

JOURNAL IT: In your journal this morning, make a list of 3 people who need prayer right now in your life. Maybe it's for a first time commitment to Christ... maybe it's for peace in these turbulent times... maybe it's for the courage to share their story... whatever it is...remember that prayer is critical if we are going to help others face the challenges in their lives.

See you in the morning,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Time"

2009-05-19T02:30:00.000-07:00

Rev 1:3 "God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near."

I was in the chat room last weekend when the question hit me...

How much time do I have to make sure all of those that I love know about Jesus? The answer: I have no idea.

Neither do you...

People for centuries have wanted to debate when Jesus was returning. Some say it will be in our generation...some say in generations to come...some say even longer than that... The reality is that nobody really knows when Christ will come back, not as the suffering servant, but as the King that He is! We don't know if it's going to be tomorrow...next week...next year...or before your breakfast is ready.

We DO know that He is coming...He is coming soon...and we need to be ready. How are we ready? We have a relationship with Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. How can we get others ready? Tell them about Christ as well...ask them if they know Him personally.

I once read a quote from an atheist that said "If you believe Heaven is a real place...how much do you have to hate somebody not to tell them how to get there." Good question. Hate is a strong word...but how badly do you want to spend eternity with those that you love? Let's get past the fear of rejection and give our friends and family the ultimate opportunity...

JOURNAL IT: Today in your journal, make a list of three people who don't know Christ. Pray for the opportunity to share what you believe...and then go for it!

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Monday - "The End?"

2009-05-18T02:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend we talked a lot about the end times... the end of the world. I spoke with many people at our Cooper City Campus (and on your Internet Campus) who seemed to want to avoid the topic altogether...that they were afraid. While I understand that at first read (or tenth read), the book of Revelation can seem scary... but I want you to remember and reflect on one verse this morning....

Matthew 28:20b "...And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus didn't say..."When things get scary...you're on your own!" or "Good luck with that 'end of the Earth thing.'"

He said He'd be with you. Forever.

Count on that today...don't let the end of the world...or the end of the day...or the end of a job...or the end of your money...or the end of a relationship...or the end of the vacation take away your joy.

If you are a Christ-follower...you have Jesus. Isn't that really all that you need?

JOURNAL: In your journal today, commit that you will focus on the power of Christ over the weakness of crisis.... He is with you!

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Friday - "Muscle"

2009-05-15T02:38:00.000-07:00

Exercising the Muscle of Faith
by Bayless Conley

Yesterday we looked at the importance of God’s Word to strengthen our faith. Yet there is something more we need to do to see our faith grow. We must use it.

In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul says this about faith,

Fight the good fight of faith.

Faith is made for conflict. It does not grow without conflict. It does not grow without pressure. You need to use it.

Remember our illustration of the body builders and how a proper diet is essential to building muscle mass? Well, they will also tell you that it is not enough to drink protein shakes and eat tuna fish, you have to work those muscles if they are going to grow. They work those weights every day in order to build their muscles.

The same thing is true when it comes to faith. Faith is a muscle that you have to use. It is not enough just to listen to your Bible teaching CDs all day long. Hearing alone is not enough to develop faith. You must use your faith muscle.

That is what the fight of faith is all about. You exercise your faith when you are standing in the midst of your storm, and you are assailed by temptations and every kind of trial that tells you you’re not going to make it, that you are going down with the ship.

As you stand in the midst of your storm, and the wind is howling around you, and the lightning is flashing, and the waves are breaking over the bow of your little ship, stand up and say, “I believe God, that it is going to be just as it was told me.” That is where the fight of faith comes in.

No matter what you may be going through today, exercise that muscle of faith. Trust God to do just as He has promised.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (May 15, 2009)

Thursday - "Godliness"

2009-05-14T02:06:00.000-07:00

The Reward of Godliness
by Bayless Conley

In today’s devotional, I want to draw your attention to the importance of the pursuit of godliness. Let’s look at 1 Timothy 6:6,

Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

What an incredible truth. Godliness coupled with contentment is great gain. Not just gain, GREAT gain!

Over and over in Scripture, God highlights the importance and reward of godliness. For instance, it says in Psalm 4:3, That the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly. 2 Peter says the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations. Those are great rewards!

But there is more. Look at 1 Timothy 4:7-8,

But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

It could not be more clear! There is profit in godliness, and that profit is not only in this life, but in the life that is to come. Godliness is going to pay off in both this life and into eternity!

So it makes sense to make this pursuit of godliness a priority! Even if people want to kick you every time you do something that is right, you need to stay with it.

Determine today to make godliness an everyday pursuit. If you do, you will reap the rewards of godliness, great gain and profit, not just in this life, but for eternity.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (May 13, 2009)

Wednesday - "The Untouchables"

2009-05-13T02:40:00.000-07:00

Jesus Touched the Untouchables
by Max Lucado

When Jesus came down from the hill, great crowds followed him. Then a man with a skin disease came to Jesus. The man bowed down before him and said, “Lord, you can heal me if you will.”
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I will. Be healed!” And immediately the man was healed from his disease.
Matthew 8:1-3

I wonder… about the man who felt Jesus’ compassionate touch. He makes one appearance, has one request, and receives one touch. But that one touch changed his life forever….

I wonder about this man because in New Testament times leprosy was the most dreaded disease. The condition rendered the body a mass of ulcers and decay. Fingers would curl and gnarl. Blotches of skin would discolor and stink. Certain types of leprosy would numb nerve endings, leading to a loss of fingers, toes, even a whole foot or hand. Leprosy was death by inches.

The social consequences were as severe as the physical. Considered contagious, the leper was quarantined, banished to a leper colony.

In Scripture the leper is symbolic of the ultimate outcast: infected by a condition he did not seek, rejected by those he knew, avoided by people he did not know, condemned to a future he could not bear…

The touch did not heal the disease, you know. Matthew is careful to mention that it was the pronouncement and not the touch of Christ that cured the condition. “Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, ‘I will. Be healed!’ And immediately the man was healed from his disease” (Matt. 8:3).

The infection was banished by a word from Jesus.

The loneliness, however, was treated by a touch from Jesus.

Jesus touched the untouchables of the world.

From
His Name is Jesus
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009) Max Lucado

Monday - "Why a Man?"

2009-05-11T02:42:00.000-07:00

But Why a Man?
by Greg Laurie

He had to be made like His brethren.
—Hebrews 2:17

Jesus went from the throne of heaven to a feeding trough. He went from the presence of angels into a stable filled with animals.

He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. He who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl. The Almighty appeared on Earth as a helpless human baby, unable to do anything but lie and stare and wiggle and make noises. He needed to be fed, and yes, even changed, and taught to talk like any other child.

The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets: that God became a man, that God became a baby.

When you stop and think about it, no other way would have accomplished His goal. He could have appeared as a full grown man and said, “Here I am. I have arrived.”

But if He did it that way, He would appear unapproachable. He would not have seemed human. It would be hard for us to believe He was a man like us.

God picked the right way. It’s even the logical way. Jesus had to truly be a man, to live and suffer and be tempted as a man among people on Earth. This way, we could know that He understands our trials (see Hebrews 2:17–18).

So the next time you are tired, hungry, thirsty, or lonely, remember that you have a God who knows what it’s like to stand in your shoes. He is the only one who can truly say that He knows our sorrows and understands our grief.

No one else can say that with such accuracy. But God can.

Copied From: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/harvestdaily/ (May 8, 2009)

Friday - "Passion?"

2009-05-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

For those of you that were unable to attend online small group last night, we talked about pursuing your passion and making a difference. As a quick recap... I mentioned that I thought your mission in life was a combination of your spiritual gifts matching up with what you are passionate about doing. So this morning I think it is appropriate to pray over those things. Ask yourself these questions (and jot some things down in your journal)

1) What are my top 3 spiritual gifts? If you are a Christ-follower, you have them...You can use 1 Cor 12 as a guide.

2) If money, time, or fear didn't matter...what would I spend every day of my life doing passionately for God?

3) Have I ever been told that I was good at something by more than one person? Does that activity show the love of God to others?

I believe that if we can wrap our brains around those three questions, we can start to discover why we're here. ALL of us have a purpose...all of us will leave a legacy...and all of us can unveil what it is we are here to accomplish. It is my prayer that as you are reading this, you are encouraged to find out yours.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Thursday - "God or Man?"

2009-05-07T02:48:00.000-07:00

God or Man?
by Greg Laurie

“Then you will know that I am He.” —John 8:28

Two thousand years ago, the Pharisees were asked this question: “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” (Matthew 22:42).

For all practical purposes, some of history’s greatest minds have grappled with this question ever since. But it’s worth noting that during the earthly ministry of Jesus, many people were perplexed about who He really was.

Jesus never became God, nor did Jesus ever cease to be God. His deity—which means His divine Lordship, the fact that He was God—was pre-human, pre-earthly, pre-Bethlehem, and pre-Mary.

In the incarnation, in that moment when Jesus came to this earth and was born of the Virgin Mary, He didn’t lay aside His deity. He was God before He was born, and He remained God after He became a man.

We are given a glimpse of this in the story of His transfiguration. Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him up onto a mountain. The disciples fell asleep (as they often did at critical times), and when they woke up, there was Jesus, standing with two great prophets (see Mark 9:1–3). The Bible says His face shined like the sun. He was radiant.

To me, it wasn’t a miracle that Jesus shined like the sun during His transfiguration. I think the real miracle was that He didn’t shine all of the time. You see, Jesus veiled His glory.

But there, for a moment, He let people see who He really was. And He was indeed God and man.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/harvestdaily/ (May 6, 2009)

Wednesday - "The Fight"

2009-05-06T02:29:00.000-07:00

From Haggai 1: "Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, gave this message of the LORD to the people: 'I am with you,' declares the LORD."

I am not a fighter. Never have been. Sure, I like to tease people every once in awhile...but if I can tell they start to become offended, I will immediately apologize and make things right. That is until I met Wanda's brother. You see, in elementary school, Wanda was one of my targets. She sat in front of me in class and I used to pick on her just because I was trying to be funny.

One day after school, she told her brother that she had heard enough...and he needed to do something about me. I saw him running toward me out of the corner of my eye... so I did what any peace-lover would do... I ran... as fast as my 3rd grade legs would carry me.

Unfortunately, he was faster. He caught me and hit me in the lip. As the blood trickled down my chin I looked around the circle at all of my "friends" who did nothing to stop him from hitting me. I felt embarrassed because I never meant for this to happen...but worse yet, I felt betrayed by those that called me "pal." Every single person stepped aside so he could hit me. Nobody came forward in my defense.

Sometimes I still feel that way. Things happen in my life and I turn to those that call themselves my friends...and one by one they refuse to help. Sometimes I get "I'm too busy" or "Send me an email and we'll chat" or my favorite..."I'd like to but...." Nobody closes the circle. No one steps up. Sometimes I feel all by myself in life.

How about you? Ever felt that way? Have you ever experienced the sting of loneliness? of Betrayal? Have you experienced the feeling of total isolation? If so, I've got good news. Look at today's passage... "I am with you" God says...

The day I was hit in the mouth...God was with me. The day you lost your job...God was with you. The time you cried alone sitting on the end of your bed...the time you lost your true love...the time your parents threw you out...the time you argued with your spouse...the time he/she said "I Do" but they didn't... God was there. He was by your side. Waiting for you to call on Him. Not like a little puppy...at your beck-and-call. But as a loving father who is giving His child some space to experience and learn from the pain...but not long enough to be overwhelmed by it. He was there. He IS there.

There is nothing you will go through today that you will have to face by yourself.

...and there is nothing to be afraid of... He is there.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Careful Thought"

2009-05-05T02:30:00.000-07:00

From Haggai 1: "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Give careful thought to your ways."

At Flamingo Road Church, one of our values is "Thinking"...and the question is... "Do I think past the first idea..." In other words, we have to ask ourselves "Is this the best way to do it...?"

A good question to be sure. How often do we half-heartedly ponder something and do it without first considering possibly better alternatives? How many bad decisions could have been avoided?

In today's passage, God instructs His people to "Give careful thought to your ways." How can we do this better? How can we make sure that we make God-honoring decisions? Here are three simple steps:

1) Consider your decision in light of God's Word. Does it contradict God's instruction? Is it going to beneficial to our spiritual walk or growth?

2) Ask yourself "Is the Holy Spirit nudging me another direction?" If you are connected to God, His Holy Spirit will guide you. Some call it our "conscience." I believe many of us know that what we are deciding to do is wrong...but block out the leading of God and do it anyway.

3) Ask yourself "Is this the best possible solution?" Stay in the room until you've gone from your first instinct to the best answer...it takes extra time, but it is definitely worth it.

Praying that we will all "give careful thought" on our way to reaching our God-Potential.

Blessings!
Pastor Brian

Monday - "The Treadmill"

2009-05-04T02:10:00.000-07:00

Haggai 1:3-4: "Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 'Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?'"

When I exercise, I like to run on a treadmill. I get to watch the miles go flying by as I read my book or listen to my iPod...all the while working off last night's chocolate chip cookies... The readout on the machine stops when it hits 3 miles...but do you know how far I actually travel? Nowhere. I don't move. I run in the same spot and don't actually travel anywhere....even though there is every reason to believe otherwise.

I wonder sometimes if our spiritual development is the same way...we earn money, but give too little away... we have gifts, but we don't use them for others... we read our Bibles but struggle in applying what we learn to our day-to-day... Lots of effort...very little spiritual movement forward. A bunch of sweat... and not a whole lot of eternal result.

In the passage today, God is concerned that His people were selfishly rebuilding their own interests over His....their homes over the temple. Are we the same way? This morning, I want to challenge you a little... You have multiple gifts...you have been entrusted with some of God's money...you have read many passages of scripture... what are you using them for? God or man? Your home or His church?

I'm asking myself the exact same thing...trust me...I've got some work to do with this. Will you pray for me? I will for you...

Pastor Brian

Friday - "Denial"

2009-05-01T02:03:00.000-07:00

Denial
by Valerie Baker (www.frccommunity.com)

"But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:33)

This evening I am reading book 5 of the Zion Covenant series, Danzig Passage, by Bodie Thoene. I am about halfway through the book and I was reminded again about how if we deny our Lord before others, he will deny us before His father.

In the book a pastor, Karl Ibsen, is in a German prison. He is not a Jew but he has Jewish brothers whom he tried to help escape the terror of Hitler's Reich. He is confronted by another pastor who has sold his soul to the devil. The evil pastor is trying to convince Karl to deny his doings to save himself. This is the second attempt. The first being from the commantant of the "Nameless" prison.

Pastor Ibsen quotes Matthew 27 after he is confronted with the argument that is was the Jews who killed Christ. He rebuts with the fact that it was Roman soldiers who mocked Christ. He also references Isaiah 53 where it speaks of the Messiah being offered for the sins of mankind.

Isaiah 53:4-6
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.

It makes me think about how all through history, evil tries to prevail. Many "Christians" deny the Lord because being a Christian isn't popular. Many people don't do what is right because they are afraid of how their friends and the world might see them. The question we should all ask ourselves in every situation we face is "How does God see me?" Evil will always try to prevail. Evil will always try to tear you down when you believe. For Pastor Karl Ibsen, he did not deny his Lord the first time. Nor did he deny Him the second time. I'm sure there are many more times to come in the book. I don't think Pastor Ibsen will ever deny the Lord. He may stay in the prison and die in there, but he will be rewarded greatly in the kingdom of heaven. He is one of the few.

I aspire to be like the pastor in the book. I know some day I will be faced will the choice to deny my Lord in front of others or to stand for Him. I choose to stand. I pray when the time comes I will be prepared to stand and that I will stand. I know my reward in heaven is far greater than any reward on earth. I know the suffering and rejection I might get on earth is worth the rejoicing and dancing that I will enjoy in heaven.

Thursday - "Details"

2009-04-30T02:24:00.000-07:00

Don’t Bother Me with Details!
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture

So Joshua took the entire land, just as the LORD had directed Moses, and he gave it as an
inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war.
– Joshua 11:23

Every so often I take out my old “Dear Diary” from when I was eight years old, and thumb through it for the sake of hilarity. Most entries go something like this:

“Today I woke up at 7:47 a.m. Then I ate pancakes for breakfast! I love pancakes! Then I did school, and I brought my magnifying glass with binoculars with me to co-op. Then we played outside in the afternoon. I scraped my knee when I fell off my bike, but I rode all the way around the house on the grass!”

Riveting, no?

Amusement carries me through about three “Dear Diary” entries, and then the skimming begins. After I’ve read through a week of what I had for breakfast, I’m usually done observing my former status as a “cute kid.” Every little detail that I thought was so important when I was eight just doesn’t thrill me now.

Unfortunately, I’ve have a tendency to take the same approach to certain portions of Scripture. You know the ones I’m talking about – “This is what Moses had given the tribe of Gad… from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir.” All the territories and distances and kings of what city etc. are very much like those breakfast entries. That’s nice, God, but frankly, I don’t really care anymore.

I didn’t think it was possible to make a sermon out of such details, but a pastor proved me wrong on Sunday. In fact, he made a sermon out of all nine chapters detailing which tribes and clans got what land when the Israelites finally took Canaan. And – unbelievably – I found myself reveling in the “inane” details.

Consider that this doling out of territory was 600 years in making. A promise made to Abraham 600 years before this moment, before Egypt happened, before Abraham even had an heir of his own kin. Six hundred years later, God’s promise that Israel would possess the land of Canaan finally comes through – and in all that time, God has not lost sight of the details. In the midst of this plan that span more than half a millennium, the Lord of Israel comes from the span of heaven and picks out every plot of earth that every clan will inherit.

We serve a God who controls both the universe and the finest breath of wind, who orchestrates all of history and the little details for our lives. Nine chapters about plots of land? Apparently, he cares enough about the details to include them in divine revelation. And yet how often do we pass over these same details tucked away in Scripture – even when we’re searching for assurance of God’s hand in our life!

As Abraham Piper writes, “It's true that knowing Michmethah is east of Shechem ranks very low in the list of facts that are important to know from the Bible. But it matters, because the sum of all the dull details that God has accomplished proves that whatever he promises, he will do.”

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalkdevo/ (April 28, 2009)

Internet Campus Book Study / Devotional - Ch. 16

2009-04-29T02:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone...

A little late on this chapter study of the book...Take a few minutes this morning...watch the video...and journal about what God reveals to you through it. As you do your quiet time this morning, ask yourself "Do I struggle with envy?" and "What can I do to control it?"

Internet Campus Book Study - Ch. 16 from Brian Vasil on Vimeo.

See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Listen to Understand"

2009-04-28T02:29:00.000-07:00

Listen…to Understand
by Bayless Conley

In Proverbs 18:2, we are given an important word of warning,

A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.

It is so easy to play the role of such a fool when we are dealing with a strained or broken relationship. Rather than seeking to understand the other person, we will often feel the need to make the other person understand our hurt.

Like me, you have probably said, “You need to hear me. You need to understand why I’m hurt. You need to understand why I reacted the way I reacted. You need to see that I’m right. I need to convince you that I’m justified in the things I’ve said and the things I’ve done.”

When we say those things, we are not interested in understanding the other person’s point of view to reach a mutual peace. We just want to express our opinions, our hurt, and our reasons.

The Bible says that is the way a fool behaves. I am going to stand at the front of the line and say, “I’ve been that fool more than once.” But we must learn to listen and understand.

Once you have listened and understood, here is an important phrase to learn, “I see what you’re saying, and I’m sorry.” That does not mean, “I see what you’re saying, and I’m sorry you’re such an idiot.” That means, “I’ve listened to you, I’ve heard you, and I’m sorry.” Period. “Forgive me.”

It is amazing how some people choke on those words. In fact, it is shocking to realize how few people know how to give a proper apology. They offer the rose of an apology by handing it thorn-end first.

Don’t play the fool. Listen…to understand.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (April 27, 2009)

Monday - "The All-powerful God"

2009-04-26T21:20:00.000-07:00

The All-powerful God
by Greg Laurie

“There is nothing too hard for You.”

—Jeremiah 32:17

Is God’s power limited? Scripture tells us over and over that God is omnipotent, which means all-powerful.

Even when Job was in pain and distress, he said to the Lord, " ‘I know that You can do all things. No plan of Yours can be thwarted’ " (Job 42:2 NIV).

The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed God’s power: “ ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You’ ” (Jeremiah 32:17).

The archangel Gabriel reassured Mary by saying, “ ‘With God nothing will be impossible’ ” (Luke 1:37).

Now you see how silly it is when we say something like, “I have tried everything, and now all I can do is pray.” Now all you can do is turn to the all-powerful God, the Creator of the universe, who happens to love you a lot.

What do you mean, that’s all you can do? That’s the first thing you should do.

Before we do anything else, we should turn our troubles over to God, because nothing is too hard for Him.

Nothing is impossible. Nothing is beyond His reach. Nothing is beyond His ability.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/harvestdaily/ (April 24, 2009)

Friday - "Getting Fouled"

2009-04-24T02:41:00.000-07:00

Getting Fouled
by Valerie Baker

Life throws curve balls. Sometimes life doesn't just throw them but it throws them AT you. You lose your job, lose someone close to you, have health problems, end a relationship, etc. It can take a while to get out of the way of these curve balls. Sometimes it seems as if it's never-ending, that there is no way to get out of the line of fire. But there is a way. His name is Jesus.

Jesus tells us to cast our cares on him (Psalm 55:22) and to put our trust in him (Proverbs 3:5) and have faith (. Sometimes it's hard to hand over to Him all of your complaints and failures and fouls. Sometimes it's difficult to give Him control of your life. A friend of mine gave me a good suggestion that I use sometimes when I have difficulty handing my concerns over to God. She said to cup your hands like you were holding water in them, put them close to your heart and pass your concerns up and over to God. It's an outward analogy to what we need to do inwardly to have faith.

It's not always easy but over time, I learned to pass over the control to God without having to give an outward interpretation of what was happening inside me. If you are struggling with being fouled in life because it keeps throwing curve balls at you, try to give it all over to God and putting your faith in him. Try the outward motion of passing your problems over to Him to care for. With faith and prayer, you will see that the curve balls will stop and God's blessing will follow.

Thursday - "Decoder"

2009-04-23T02:42:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I used to love to buy those "Super Spy" books that had secret messages hidden inside. You couldn't see what the phrase was without the red secret decoder... You placed the red film over the box (similar to the one here...) and out would pop the deciphered message. For your eyes only... You just needed to have the right lens for the job. A blue one wouldn't work...neither would yellow. To see this message, you had to look at it through the correctly colored lens.

I think life is the same way. If we want to live a life that honors Christ, we must have the correct lens in place. What do I mean? When you are fouled in life...how do you react? When someone wants to be friends...do you let them? When life is storming are you panicked or calm? Tense or settled? Worried or whole? Who do you trust? How deep is your faith? Who gets top priority with your time and resources?

One of the greatest things about being a Christ follower is that Jesus Himself has given us the lens through which to look at life. Let's take a look at this passage from Mark:

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

"Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31

In this passage, Jesus defines how we should see the world and handle every situation we find ourselves in... If we get angry...love the people. If we struggle with priority...put God first and the rest will settle itself out... Trust issues? Disappointment? Fear? Love, love, love.

Love is the lens through which to decode humanity. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you don't know what to do...break out that God-filter and put it to work. I promise you that when you see the world through compassion, mercy, humility, gratitude, forgiveness, and love...not only will your perception of people change... you will begin to understand how God sees you - a beautiful masterpiece.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Check Engine"

2009-04-22T02:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I talked about a friend of mine who drove a very unique car. His seats could be removed so that he could hose out the inside...need I say more? We called it the "roach coach" and rode in it every day to school because it beat taking the bus or walking. One afternoon, we were riding home and the "Check Engine" light came on. I asked him if he was going to fix it and he told me that it would be repaired by morning. The next morning came and he had covered the light with a sticker...he said it wouldn't bother him if he couldn't see it. His car was trying to get his attention...and he concluded that ignoring it would be best...

Many of us are the same way. We ask God to send the Holy Spirit our way, and when He does...we don't know what to do with the nudge when we receive it. We plead for guidance...and then don't follow it. The light comes on...and we cover it up.

If you experienced this weekend, I want to reiterate one of the points.... If you want to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit, you'll have to start acting on what God is nudging you to do. Make that phone call...send that email...give that hug... whatever you are feeling led to do to make things right. Then, if you ever get fouled by life, you will be living as one who is controlled by God...

How do you know the nudge is from God? Here's a couple of things I do to check: 1) Does the nudge contradict scripture? God would never give you something to do that is contrary to His word 2) Have I checked with my closest Christian friends and ask them what they think? Sometimes I believe that God can use others Christians to confirm His leading. 3) Have I prayed this through and am at total peace about it?

What's nudging you this morning? Is it from the God? If so...I challenge you to act on it TODAY...don't put it off... Life may foul you today...but you'll be ready...

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Book Study - Ch. 11 - The Burden of Grief

2009-04-21T09:30:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Here is this week's blog book study... "The Burden of Grief"

FRC Internet Campus Book Study - Ch. 11 from Brian Vasil on Vimeo.

Don't forget, our live book study and small group are this Thursday @ 6PM and 7PM respectively. See you online!

Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Victory"

2009-04-21T02:39:00.000-07:00

A Cry of Victory
by Max Lucado

“It is finished.”

Stop and listen. Can you imagine the cry from the cross? The sky is dark. The other two victims are moaning. The jeering mouths are silent. Perhaps there is thunder. Perhaps there is weeping. Perhaps there is silence. Then Jesus draws in a deep breath, pushes his feet down on that Roman nail, and cries, “It is finished!”

What was finished?

The history-long plan of redeeming man was finished. The message of God to man was finished. The works done by Jesus as a man on earth were finished. The task of selecting and training ambassadors was finished. The job was finished. The song had been sung. The blood had been poured. The sacrifice had been made. The sting of death had been removed. It was over.

A cry of defeat? Hardly. Had his hands not been fastened down I dare say that a triumphant fist would have punched the dark sky. No, this is no cry of despair. It is a cry of completion. A cry of victory. A cry of fulfillment. Yes, even a cry of relief.

It’s over.

An angel sighs. A star wipes away a tear.

“Take me home.”
Yes, take him home.
Take this prince to his king.
Take this son to his father.
Take this pilgrim to his home.
(He deserves a rest.)

“Take me home.”
Come ten thousand angels!
Come and take this wounded troubadour to
the cradle of his Father’s arms!

Farewell manger’s infant.
Bless You holy ambassador.
Go Home death slayer.
Rest well sweet soldier.

The battle is over.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/upwords/ (Week of April 17)

Monday - "Unstuck"

2009-04-20T02:31:00.000-07:00

A great start to the week...A great devotional from Bayless about obedience...I love the last two paragraphs of this devotional...

Pastor Brian

Obey and Get Unstuck
by Bayless Conley

Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk” (John 5:8).

These words were spoken to a man who had been sick for 38 years! His bed had been carrying him, and now Jesus was telling him to carry his bed!

We have discussed several keys to getting unstuck from your problems in our last devotions. First, we must genuinely want to be free, and second, we must stop shifting the blame for our problems to others.

The final key I want to share with you is found in the above verse. It is to obey what the Lord tells you. Whether it makes sense or not—obey!

To a man who had been carried by his bed for 38 years, rising up and carrying his bed must have seemed crazy! But the moment he began to obey, new life and strength began to flow into his previously paralyzed limbs.

Listen for the Lord’s instructions in your heart. Search for them in His Word. There is no faith without action. There will be something that God will require you to do in order to release or express your faith.

It may make sense to you—or it may not. But to quote Mary, the mother of Jesus, “Whatever He says to you, do it” (John 2:5).

After pastoring the same church for several decades, I have observed that many people remain stuck in their problems. Not because the Lord hasn’t spoken to them, but because He has and they haven’t obeyed.

If there is any unfilled obedience in your life, get busy and do what the Lord has told you to do. It is the only way to get unstuck.

Copied from http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (April 19, 2009)

Thursday - "Run to the Tomb"

2009-04-16T02:48:00.000-07:00

Luke 24:12 "However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened."

Easter weekend, Pastor Troy said something that has stuck in my brain since he said it... He told us to "run to the tomb." To actively look for the risen Christ...to begin to experience a Savior who didn't stay dead...but came back...for us. To believe that resurrection was indeed possible.

If you think about it, death had quite a good record going for it up to that point...

100,000,000+ dead to 0 returned to life.

Jesus changed that to 100,000,00+ to 1 alive

What does that mean in your life this morning? Death had a perfect record until Jesus came...how should that impact your thinking? Could it be that what appears dead in our lives can be resurrected by Jesus Himself?

Could it be that your dead marriage isn't? Is it possible that your broken finances are fixable? Is there a way that those relationships that appear deceased are just playing opossum?

Death was only temporary for Christ. For His followers...us... we must believe that Jesus still has that power. To revive the seemingly dead things in our lives...to restore them to better than they were before they started.

Stones still roll away...miracles still happen...and that grave you find parts of your life in is only temporary... RUN to the tomb. Look inside. He is risen.

This morning check out www.ivemissed.com. Listen to some of the videos on the front page. Go inside and read some of the stories...hear some of the hurts...witness the healing from the risen Christ.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Unburdened"

2009-04-15T02:10:00.000-07:00

Feeling a bit anxious this morning? Worried about something? Read on! This devotional is just for you...

I often forget the strength of Philippians 4:6-7...do you?

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Unburdened
by Bayless Conley

Philippians 4:6-7 promises,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

God is telling us not to freak out about anything. Anything! Can you think of anything that does not fit in “anything”? Instead of worrying—pray—about everything!

It is interesting that these verses do not promise God will answer your requests (though it is implied). Rather, what God does promise in these verses is this: If, when you are confronted with difficult things, you will pray rather than worry, God will give you peace. The stress will lift. The pressure will be broken.

In America, people spend millions of dollars visiting their therapists. They talk over all their problems with their therapists to try and relieve the stress and worries of life. I have a confession to make…I have a therapist. I talk to Him every single day. My therapist is my Father in heaven. I bring all my problems to Him. And I talk over everything with Him.

One of the keys in unburdening your heart when you pray is being completely honest. God knows what you are thinking, anyway. You may as well tell Him the truth about what is weighing you down.

It is no accident you are reading this today. Perhaps you are so filled with anxiety and stress that you are working on an ulcer right now. You don’t sleep like you should. Your anxieties have robbed you of the quality of life God wants you to have.

God wants you free from your burdens. Take them to God today, and every day, and see how those burdens are lifted.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (April 14, 2009)

Internet Campus Book Study - Ch. 10

2009-04-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Here is this week's blog book study from Traveling Light by Max Lucado -
Chapter 10 - The Burden of the Grave

FRC Internet Campus Book Study - Ch. 10 from Brian Vasil on Vimeo.

Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Power In Numbers"

2009-04-14T02:44:00.000-07:00

I really liked this devotional from yesterday...it connects very well to our Monday morning prayer request for those who took their first step on Easter weekend...

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Power in Numbers
by Janet Conley

I believe the Bible teaches us that when we join together the impact is multiplied far beyond just the addition of those who join together. One plus one equals far more than two. Let me show you what I mean.

In Deuteronomy 32:30, it says,

How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had surrendered them?

While this verse deals with Israel’s disobedience to God and subsequent retreat from their enemies, think of what might be possible when God’s people obey Him! It says that one could chase a thousand, but two could put ten thousand to flight.

While one person can impact a thousand, two people can impact ten thousand. That is a ten-fold multiplied effect!

Leviticus 26:7-8, when God was giving promises to His people if they would walk in His ways, states this,

You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.

Notice God says five will chase a hundred, and a hundred will chase ten thousand. By increasing the number of people times 20, their effectiveness would increase times 100. Again, that is a multiplied effect.

You have probably heard of the Clydesdale horses, those big, strong workhorses that can pull a lot of weight. One horse by itself can pull two tons, but if you yoke two together they can pull 23 tons! That is incredible!

And that is how it works when we pray together with one another. When we join our forces in prayer and connect with heaven, that is what happens. There is a multiplied effect.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (April 13)

Monday - A Special Prayer

2009-04-13T02:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

This morning I'd like to spend a little time praying for those people on the Internet Campus who took their first step this weekend. 17 people clicked the button that said "I Came Forward" and prayed the salvation prayer with Pastor Troy. That is 17 people who had no idea that when they sat down at their laptop they would stand again with a secured eternity.... Here's how I would like you to pray

1) That they would live today with newly found hope... knowing that they will spend forever in Heaven with Christ.

2) That they would share their decision with other people who don't know Christ.

3) That they would tell family and friends what they have done without fear.

4) That they would always remember the feeling that they had when they first made the decision, prayed the prayer, and clicked the button.

5) That they would take the next step of obedience and get baptized.

Thanks everyone... If you are one of those that made that decision this weekend...congratulations...you will NEVER regret that choice...

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Friday Devotional 4-10-09

2009-04-10T02:02:00.000-07:00

Title: Bridge Over Troubling Fires
Contributor: Jess Reyes - www.frccommunity.com

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Easter season is recognized each year in many ways by various parts of our population. Important to most are the days Good Friday, the day recognized when Christ died on the cross; and Easter Sunday, the day recognized when Christ rose from the dead. But we hear little about Easter Saturday, the day in the middle. Easter Saturday is the day recognized when Christ’s body laid in the grave.

The Bible tells us something about what was going on outside Christ’s grave that Saturday, but it says little about what was happening to Christ while He was inside the grave. Some call Easter Saturday the Great Sabbath, because they say Christ rested in the grave that day. Others believe Christ’s spirit descended into hell that day; it’s even stated in the “Apostles’ Creed” that way. Most would agree, Easter Saturday was a very, very sad day and perhaps the worst day of all time! That Saturday, Christ was caught in the middle; having died for mankind’s sin on Friday but not yet reaching God’s heavenly hands on the other side on Sunday. He paid a price for mankind’s sin on Friday, but this was only the admission fee for the Saturday main event. In a way on Saturday Christ died many times over again in the worst ways and with each deadly blow He build a bridge across the fires of hell to God’s heaven for us.

The saddest part about mankind is that masses of people did not, have not and will not find the ‘Christ Bridge’ built that Saturday to heaven for them. Our job as Christians is to help those around us find the Christ Bridge. Also sad is that many Christians find the Christ Bridge but will not cross it in true faith. The distractions of life create a fog around them that inhibits the journey.

But the few that do see the Christ Bridge and stay focused on it will arrive to it in God’s time and will run across it to God’s outreached heavenly hands on the other side. Once there, family and friends that have made the journey before them will greet them; and they will celebrate for eternity.

How is your journey going? Are you walking alone? Or are you inviting others to join you in your walk to the Christ Bridge? It is never too late to find some friends to journey with you. Find a friend this weekend and help them make the first step!

“Up from the grave he arose;
With a mighty triumph o’er his foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!!”

Lyrics by Mark Lowry

Tomorrow!

2009-04-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

It's almost here...tomorrow starts an amazing weekend of Easter services here on the Flamingo Road Church Internet Campus. www.frclive.tv

Service times are:

Friday: 6PM, 7:30PM and 9PM(from Hallandale Beach campus) (ET)

Saturday: iKids launches - an interactive time to spend with your kids online! 4PM (ET) www.frclive.tv
Service Times: 6PM, 7:30PM (ET)

Sunday: BEACH BAPTISM - LIVE! 6:45AM (ET) www.frclive.tv
Service Times: 9:30AM, 11AM, 12:45PM, 2:30PM, 4PM, and 5:30PM (ET)

PLUS - We are re-launching the Internet Campus page this weekend with a brand new design.... we hope you like the new look!

BONUS - We will be hosting an online Easter Egg hunt on our web page (www.flamingoroadchurch.com) starting Friday night and going throughout the weekend!

We are still getting ready...but this weekend will be AMAZING!!!!! New look, iKids, 11 services, egg hunt, baptism, live from Hallandale....awesome!

See you there!
Pastor Brian

Thursday Devotional 4-9-09

2009-04-09T02:11:00.000-07:00

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday Devotional 4-8-09

2009-04-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

A Reminder...

2009-04-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Just a quick reminder...no book study this week on the blogs or live on Thursday night...

Also, don't forget...no small group on Thursday night.

We will resume the book study and small group next week!

Easter services start this Friday! I hope you have been inviting your friends and family to join you online for this special weekend!

See you online!
Pastor Brian

Tuesday 4-7-09

2009-04-07T02:04:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

See you tomorrow!
Pastor Brian

Monday Morning Devotional

2009-04-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

Pastor Brian

Friday - "Power of Prayer"

2009-04-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

Power of Prayer
written by: Valerie Baker
Internet Campus forums - www.frccommunity.com

Psalm 66:20
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

Psalm 143:1
O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.

I was reading the other day from Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul and read a story about an elderly woman who owned a sick cat named Puff. She needed a house call because she didn't drive or have anyone to take her and Puff to the vets. Puff had a "powerful, chronic infection" causing Puff's kidneys to fail. They started treatment but Puff continued to slip away. The vet called Puff's owner to prepare her for the impending death of her beloved cat. The owner asked if there was anything else that could be done adn the vet said the only thing that came to him at that moment," I'm going to ask people to join in praying for Puff."

The next morning, the vet walked into his clinic to find his technician deliriously happy. The technician said, "Puff is noy only alive, he acts like he's ready to go home! He's eating, drinking, urinating and meowing incessantly." More examination and blood tests on Puff revealed that his kidneys were working again. The vet called Puff's owner to give the good news and later took Puff home.

"... that I had discovered for myself a powerful, new treatment tool. It was a tool they didn't teach me in veterinary school, but one that could be deployed anytime, by anyone, in any dosage, at no cost, and with no side effects-- the power of prayer."

Prayer can heal! God wants to heal you and your family and friends. All you have to do is pray and ask for His healing. Pray these words when you or someone you know needs healing. "Lord, please put your healing hands on _____. Please take away the pain and suffering and replace it with your strength and goodness. Please, cure the illness and hurt and replace it with thankfulness and joy. Amen."

Thursday - "The Jersey"

2009-04-02T02:38:00.000-07:00

I remember my very first year of playing flag football. I was probably 9 years old or so and had been put on the "Green Bay Packers" along with a couple of my friends. We would play Saturday games at the local park against other in-house teams.

The greatest day of the season wasn't the day I was put on the team...or the day I recovered a fumble...or the day I became homecoming prince...no, it was uniform day. The day I got to pick my number and put on that jersey for the first time. I wore it home. I wore it to school. I wore it to bed... I would still be wearing it today if I wasn't much older and wider...

I was so proud of the colors of my team. Let's look at today's passage of scripture:

Galatians 3:27 "And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes."

In today's passage, Paul writes that our baptism is similar to new clothing. He says that once we take that step of faith in baptism, we "put on Christ." What does that mean?

It means that when people see us...they are seeing Jesus. We are wearing the "God jersey"...representing Christ to a wondering world. When you come up out of the waters of baptism, you are declaring to everyone that you are part of God's family...that you have made a prior decision to follow Christ as Lord and Savior...and you want them to know it!

If you have never been baptized, and have accepted Christ as Lord, I want to directly challenge you to take that step of obedience and sign up for Beach Baptism on April 12th down here in S. Fla. Simply go to www.flamingoroadchurch.com/beachbaptism for all of the details.

If you have already been baptized, I would like you to spend this morning thinking back to that event in your life... what it felt like inside... that passion that you had for Jesus... Take a few moments and ask God to renew you once again...to remind you that you are wearing the colors of the "God team."

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

RALLY TONIGHT!

2009-04-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

DON'T FORGET! Tonight is the Flamingo Road Church EASTER RALLY LIVE! from our Cooper City Campus. The rally starts at 7PM (ET)...but if you login then...you'll be late... We will be hosting the rally LIVE on our Internet Campus starting at 6:40.

...the good stuff starts early...about 6:45PM (ET).

See you there!

www.frclive.tv

Pastor Brian

_______________________
Brian Vasil
Pastor - Internet Campus
Flamingo Road Church
www.frclive.tv
(954) 434-1500 X23

Internet Campus Book Study - Chapter 9 - The Burden of Arrogance

2009-03-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here are parts one and two of our Internet Campus book study. This is Chapter 9 - The Burden of Arrogance.

Please let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Blessings!
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Prisoner"

2009-03-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

Jesus Betrayed by Judas
by Max Lucado

When betrayal comes, what do you do? Get out? Get angry? Get even? You have to deal with it some way. Let’s see how Jesus dealt with it.

Begin by noticing how Jesus saw Judas. “Jesus answered, ‘Friend, do what you came to do.’ ” (Matthew 26:50)

Of all the names I would have chosen for Judas it would not have been “friend.” What Judas did to Jesus was grossly unfair. There is no indication that Jesus ever mistreated Judas. There is no clue that Judas was ever left out or neglected. When, during the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that his betrayer sat at the table, they didn’t turn to one another and whisper, “It’s Judas. Jesus told us he would do this.”

They didn’t whisper it because Jesus never said it. He had known it. He had known what Judas would do, but he treated the betrayer as if he were faithful.

It’s even more unfair when you consider the betrayal was Judas’s idea. The religious leaders didn’t seek him, Judas sought them. “What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?” he asked. (Matthew 26:15) The betrayal would have been more palatable had Judas been propositioned by the leaders, but he wasn’t. He propositioned them.

And Judas’s method … again, why did it have to be a kiss? (Matthew 26: 48–49)

And why did he have to call him “Teacher”? (Matthew 26:49) That’s a title of respect. The incongruity of his words, deeds, and actions—I wouldn’t have called Judas “friend.”

But that is exactly what Jesus called him. Why? Jesus could see something we can’t...

Jesus knew Judas had been seduced by a powerful foe. He was aware of the wiles of Satan’s whispers (he had just heard them himself). He knew how hard it was for Judas to do what was right.

He didn’t justify what Judas did. He didn’t minimize the deed. Nor did he release Judas from his choice. But he did look eye to eye with his betrayer and try to understand.

As long as you hate your enemy, a jail door is closed and a prisoner is taken. But when you try to understand and release your foe from your hatred, then the prisoner is released and that prisoner is you.

Copied From: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/upwords/ (Week of March 27-April 2)

Monday - "God's Job"

2009-03-30T02:15:00.000-07:00

Let God Do His Job
by Bayless Conley

Philippians 2:8-11 shows us how humility precedes honor,

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If God’s good pleasure and His plan are to be worked out in our lives, we must walk in humility. It is a prerequisite for us to pass the test of humility. As we see here, because Jesus humbled Himself, God highly exalted Him. And at that point, no demon in hell could do a thing to prevent it.

When God promotes you, no person, no demon, no ungodly system can hold you back. God’s exalting power is irresistible. It is undeniable, and it is undefeatable.

But a humble heart must come first. It has been said that no man stands taller than when he is on his knees before God. Let us humble ourselves and be obedient to God in every area of our lives. If we will lower ourselves, God will lift us. God’s job is to exalt us, and our job is to humble ourselves. If we try to do God’s job for Him, He will have to do our job for us.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (March 29, 2009)

Friday - "Masterpiece"

2009-03-27T02:37:00.000-07:00

"For we are God’s masterpiece.” Eph 2:10a

Do you feel like God's masterpiece this morning?

You feel tired...the alarm clock rang way too early....eyes puffy...floor cold...

Do you feel like the best God can do?

Nervous about today...worried about tomorrow...anxious about the bottom line...

Do you feel worthy of Christ's sacrifice?

Every breath you take in...every tear you shed today...every heavy sigh or triumphant shout...

God whispers to you...I love you
God breathes out...I died for you
God taps you on the shoulder and says...relax...I've got it.

I pray that each of you that read this remember that God loved you so much that He gave up His Son to have you spend eternity with Him. You are His masterpiece and He loves you. There is nothing you will face today that He can't handle.

See you this weekend,
Pastor Brian

Thursday - "Life Without Fear"

2009-03-26T02:15:00.000-07:00

He Has Said, So We May Say
by Bayless Conley

In our last few devotionals, we have been talking about fear, and how to be free from it. Today, I want to give you a final thought to consider on fear. It is based on Hebrews 13:5-6,

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

I want you to notice what the Bible says, He Himself has said…So we may boldly say. God says something, so you can say something.

What does God say? He says He will never leave you. He says He will never forsake you. As a result you can say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

When you understand that God will never leave you or forsake you, you can live without fear. And that freedom from fear will be reflected in both your actions and in your speech.

What are you facing today? Would you be afraid if God was standing beside you saying, “It’s alright. I am here”? Well He is with you! He said He would never leave you or abandon you! You may not see or feel Him, but He is with you—now and always.

It is time to start acting and speaking like you believe it.

Boldly say, “The Lord is helping me! I will not fear!”

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (Mar. 25, 2009)

Wednesday - "100% Love"

2009-03-25T02:19:00.000-07:00

The Most Important Commandment
25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” 27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

This second of the two most important commandments seems pretty simple to do... That is until we discover that our neighbor is anybody who isn't us...

Do you mean our nasty boss? Yep.

Do you mean my stepmom who acts like she doesn't like me? Uh-huh.

Do you mean the guy who nearly ran me off the road? Yessir.

The rapist...the abuser...the thief? Yes, yes, and yes.

Anybody?

No. Everybody.

That's a pretty tall order from God. Yesterday we talked about 100% selling out to God...giving Him our full devotion in every area of our lives. Today we put that in the context of who we are supposed to love. Notice what the verse says...it doesn't say tolerate, put up with, or handle...it says love.

How do we do that?

Love people the way Jesus loves us. We are broken and bruised sinners...people that need grace each and every day of our lives. God is calling us to extend that same grace and love to others...and let justice come from Him alone. Loving others is a choice - not something that they deserve or even ask for in most cases. I challenge you this morning to choose someone who came to mind when you were reading this...pray for them... and show them the love of Christ today.

Just imagine if the whole world could live like that... do you think that's what God has in mind?

Pastor Brian

Internet Campus Book Study - Chapter 7

2009-03-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

Here is Chapter 7 - "The Burden of Hopelessness" from the Internet Campus book study of "Traveling Light" by Max Lucado

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "100%"

2009-03-24T02:39:00.000-07:00

Maybe you've heard the phrase: 99% is still 1% short

That expression has always bothered me...I think it's because my flesh wants me to believe that 99% is good enough. Think back to school...if you scored 99% on a test, that was nearly perfect! Just 1 tiny percentage point away from everything right! In any school in the world, that would be an A...maybe even an A+... an achievement in any case.

99% is a triumph to my elementary school teacher...but is it what God asks of me?

Luke 10:25-28

The Most Important Commandment

²⁵ One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”²⁶ Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” ²⁷ The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

²⁸ “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

Notice what Jesus says here...we must love God with ALL our heart and ALL of our soul and ALL of our strength and ALL of our mind. 100%. What does that mean?

What are you thinking about most?
Who do you love above all others?
Who do you turn to when you are weak?
Who holds your eternity?

What position does God hold on your priority list?
How important is God's word in your decision making?
How often do you seek God's guidance over a friend's?

How real is God to you?
How deeply do you love Him?
What are you willing to give up to follow Him?
How much do you trust Him?

I know...heavy questions for a Tuesday. But I really believe it's time to ask ourselves the tough questions... It is through honesty with ourselves and God that our relationship with Him can grow deeper. Want to REALLY live for Him? Give Him 100% of you.

Pastor Brian

Monday - "Not Ashamed"

2009-03-23T02:59:00.000-07:00

Not Ashamed
by Bayless Conley

I have a question to ask you today. Has there ever been a time when you were afraid to confess the name of Jesus? In John 9:20-23, we have the example of the parents whose son had been born blind but was healed by Jesus.

Look at their response when asked who healed their son,

His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

How many Christians have held their tongue when they should have been giving praise to the name of Jesus? Praise for answered prayer, for the miracles He has done, but they were intimidated by unbelievers?

I was coming back from Africa when a Muslim man on the plane put a blanket on the floor, got down on his face and began to pray. This man was not ashamed at all about kneeling down on the plane in front of everyone.

I thought, “Oh, Jesus! How many times have Your people kept silent because they were afraid of what someone might think of them?”

Throw off the shackles of fear and timidity, and boldly take your stand for Christ!

Proverbs 28:1 says, The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (March 22, 2009)

Friday - "Spring Cleaning Your Life"

2009-03-20T02:20:00.000-07:00

Title: Spring Cleaning Your Life!

Luke 10:38-42

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Friday, March 20, is the first day of spring and the time of year many people begin thinking about spring-cleaning. But, is there a special time to “spring-clean” one’s daily life? To examine the inventory of things we do each day that take up our time and share of mind? The idea is to eliminate waste, but in this case waste could be defined as anything or activity that does not add-value to our Christian life.

The above Bible story in Luke 10:38-42 is about Martha and her daily priorities. Martha was perhaps a great homemaker and spring-cleaner in the traditional sense. But she perhaps lacked a clear spiritual perspective to daily living. Her life was so out of balance she actually asked her guest, Jesus Himself to discipline her sister Mary in front of the rest of the guests in her home! All Martha really wanted was recognition of her homemaking skills and standards. Instead of praising her for her high earthly standards, Jesus commented on her heavenly standards and the imbalance between the two.

A Japanese manufacturing tool that is used by many to reorganize things is 5S. It is apparent from the Bible that Jesus used the 5S principles in His life to maintain a balance between his earthly duties and heavenly duties as well. Here are the steps for 5S’ing ones daily life:

1.) Sort - Take inventory of things you spend time on each day, and remove the things that add no value to your spiritual life. In 5S we say: “When in doubt, move it out.” Sinful acts need to go, but also valueless activities like reading a daily newspaper or sleeping late if you get nothing of value out of it.

2.) Set in Order – Re-arrange things left in your daily routine for easy and efficient execution. In 5S we say “A (time and) place for every thing, with everything in its (time and) place.” Time savings from step one can be used to rearrange you day to make it more efficient and to be able to add more spiritually value-adding activity. Newspaper reading time could become Bible study time, or quality time with a family member or friend. Saturday night church makes room for Sunday morning serving.

3.) Shine – Clean your remaining daily activity to make them “shine” with quality. In 5S we say “Make it clean and keep it clean.” Family time becomes quality kid time; prayer time is not done in commute to work but in a place where you can give it 100% attention. Cooking meals again at home means meeting around the kitchen table again, like it used to be.

4.) Standardize – Make yourself guidelines or standards to keep your daily activities organized. In 5S we say “What you can’t see, you can’t control.” See the possible “what ifs” of your daily life and know what you will do to minimize the negative effect on your spiritual value-adding daily routine. What if I get sick…what if my car dies…what if I have to work late? How then will I manage my day? Standardizing helps to answer these questions before they happen.

5.) Sustain – The fifth S maintains the first 4 Ss so they continue to be effective for you. In 5S we say, “Maintain the gain and forget the blame.” Maintaining the gain means fixing the problems when they happen. The rhythm of life constantly changes and challenges any great process and plan. Responding quickly to the effects with 5S as they happen will minimize huge changes later if left alone. Failure often causes one to blame the uncontrolled circumstances rather than ourselves for not taking the time to regroup using 5S.

In short, 5S your life to eliminate the waste and fill in the voids with meaningful things that is spiritually value-adding, to your life and the live of those around you. After all, you never know when you may get a visit from Jesus like Martha did. Will you be ready to sit at His feet?

Written by Jess Reyes

Thursday - "Thine"

2009-03-19T02:51:00.000-07:00

"Thine is the Kingdom..."
by Max Lucado

There are certain mountains only God can climb. Ascend them and you’ll end up bruised and embarrassed. Stay away from them and you’ll sidestep a lot of stress. These mountains are described in the final phrase of the Lord’s prayer, “Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” A trio of peaks mantled by the clouds. Admire them, applaud them, but don’t climb them.

It’s not that you aren’t welcome to try, it’s just that you aren’t able. The pronoun is thine, not mine; thine is the kingdom, not mine is the kingdom. If the word Savior is in your job description, it’s because you put it there. Your role is to help the world, not save it. Mount Messiah is one mountain you weren’t made to climb.

Nor is Mount Self-Sufficient. You aren’t able to run the world, nor are you able to sustain it. Some of you think you can. You are self-made. You don’t bow your knees, you just roll up your sleeves and put in another twelve-hour day … which may be enough when it comes to making a living or building a business. But when you face your own grave or your own guilt, your power will not do the trick.

You were not made to run a kingdom, nor are you expected to be all-powerful. And you certainly can’t handle all the glory. Mount Applause is the most seductive of the three peaks. The higher you climb the more people applaud, but the thinner the air becomes. More than one person has stood at the top and shouted, “Mine is the glory!” only to lose their balance and fall.

“Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” What protection this final phrase affords. As you confess that God is in charge, you admit that you aren’t. As you proclaim that God has power, you admit that you don’t. And as you give God all the applause, there is none left to dizzy your brain.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/upwords/ (Week of March 13)

Wednesday - "The Illusion"

2009-03-18T02:56:00.000-07:00

Romans 8:18: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Take a look at the optical illusion to the left...what do you see? Are the lines straight? Diagonal? Wavy? Sometimes things are not exactly as they appear at first. No matter how many times we hear the truth...our brains just can't seem to get a hold of the reality. What if I told you that each of the gray lines in the drawing were perfectly parallel with each other..would you believe me?

It's true.

Right now you may be suffering. I know...you've hidden it pretty well. Your spouse is causing you strife. Your job is on the brink of being eliminated. Your checkbook says you have nothing to pay those last few bills with this month... You are struggling. Maybe it's relational, financial, emotional, or spiritual...but you are being challenged and stretched to the limits of your faith.

I've got good news. Things are not as they appear.

This feeling you have will NOT last forever.

Today's verse says that the struggles that you are currently facing are temporary. Not only are they temporary...but as challenging as they are...they pale in comparison to the greatness of what is coming your way in eternity. In Heaven, you will become complete...no more worries..no more fears... no doubts... In the meantime, pray this morning that God would give you perspective...the ability to see what we face here as fleeting and clarity to remember what is to come...and that's no illusion.

Pastor Brian

Internet Campus Book Study Chapter Four

2009-03-17T10:02:00.000-07:00

Here is chapter 4 of our Internet Campus Book Study! The topic: The Burden of Discontent. It can also be viewed on www.brianvasil.com

Let me know what you think in the comments below...

Enjoy!

Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "Family"

2009-03-17T02:10:00.000-07:00

“Then the rich man said, ‘Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father’s home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don’t end up in this place of torment.’“But Abraham said, ‘Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.’“The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’ “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Luke 16 27-31

In the story about Lazarus and the rich man, when both men die, they go to distinctly different places. Lazarus the beggar, we are told, was taken to Heaven to spend eternity with God. The rich man was sent to Hades to live a life of torment. In today's passage, the rich man is begging Abraham (who is with Lazarus in Heaven) to send Lazarus to visit his family on earth...to convince them to repent and turn from their ways. The rich man wants his loved ones to avoid the torture that he is enduring.

I love Abraham's response. He tells the rich man that even if he did send Lazarus back to tell his family, they wouldn't believe him. He says that the man's family had Moses and the prophets telling them about Heaven, yet they continually rejected the concept. The truth is right in front of their faces, yet they didn't change their thinking.

Maybe that's your family this morning. They know the truth...they have been to church a few times and have heard the Gospel but have rejected the claims of Christ. What are you supposed to do?

Two things: 1) Continue to tell them. 2) Repeat step #1.

Never give up sharing your faith. Invite your loved ones to church. Bring them to Easter baptism. Talk to them about God. Show them the love of Christ at every opportunity. Be genuine.

There is so much at stake here. Eternity rides in the balance. Can you imagine living your forever out in hell replaying the times you rejected Christ over and over in your head? What could have been? What should have been? There could have been paradise, but instead there is torment. Never give up on those you love...just because they have said they aren't interested before doesn't mean that things can't change. They need YOU to tell them...they need you to overcome their defenses. They need you to convince them that Jesus was telling the truth. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It may not be easy, but it is of critical eternal importance.

See you tomorrow,

Pastor Brian

Monday - "Forgiveness"

2009-03-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

An appropriate start to the week...today's devotional talks directly about how to secure your eternity. It is my prayer that if you are reading this and have never prayed and accepted Christ as Lord...that you would read today's passage carefully...and take that first step. You will NEVER regret it.

Pastor Brian

How to Be Forgiven
by Greg Laurie

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him.
—Revelation 3:20

How do you find the forgiveness of sin? First of all, you must recognize your dire need for it. Jesus Christ is not some wonderful additive you need to blend into your life so you can find happiness. He is much more than that. I am not denying that being a Christian will make you happier. I am saying happiness is essentially a fringe benefit. Happiness, peace, and joy are great things. But the bottom line is Jesus Christ, who can pardon you of your sin.

We are guilty people. Guilt is not a fun thing to experience. The only way to get rid of guilt is to get to the source of it. Guilt is the result of sin; and the only way to eliminate guilt and sin is by being forgiven—and only God can forgive you.

Maybe you could do something to earn God’s approval. No—there is nothing that you can do even on your best day to pay your debts. There is nothing you can do to settle the score. Forgiveness only comes through Jesus Christ, who went to the cross and died in your place.

Do you want to have your sin forgiven? Do you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven? Acknowledge your sin, repent of it, and then receive Christ into your life. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20). But only you can open that door to Jesus. Only you can ask Him to come inside. Only you can call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.

Copied From: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/harvestdaily/ (Mar. 13, 2009)

Friday Verse Reflection

2009-03-13T02:49:00.000-07:00

"Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

I know the economy is bad.

I know you are nervous about something.

I know today may seem like just another day.

But it isn't.

Today is the day you can say..."I'll help." or "I'm there"

Today is the day you can make someone feel special by listening to them rather than try to fix them.

Today is the day their burdens become your burdens.

Today is the day you (and I) can grow more like Christ.

Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves...it's time to get started.

I'm right there with you.

See you this weekend,
Pastor Brian

Thursday - "Needs"

2009-03-12T02:41:00.000-07:00

Mark 2:4-5 "Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, 'Son, your sins are forgiven.' "

As his four friends lowered him down to Jesus, the paralyzed man on the mat must have been doing a lot of thinking... What will Jesus say? Will He be upset that we knocked pieces of the ceiling in on Him? Will the crowd get angry?

But perhaps the biggest question on his mind was "Can He really heal me?"

At last, the man finishes his descent and prepares himself for what will surely be something like "Go! Get up and walk!" or "Your faith has healed you...run!" I love what Christ says... "Your sins are forgiven." Can you imagine the look on the faces of those in the room? Looking at each other wondering why He would say such a thing when all the man must have wanted was to walk again. Was Jesus just teasing this guy? Why say such a disconnected statement? What they didn't realize was that this paralyzed man got what he needed first.

Jesus knew that the forgiveness of his sin what what this man needed. Walking was secondary.

Have you ever wanted something from Jesus and got what you needed instead?

Ever wanted peace but got more trials...only to grow more through the trials than you ever thought possible?

Ever wanted financial freedom only to find yourself struggling...yet clinging to a now stronger faith because of God's provision?

Ever pray for something and God told you to wait?

God knows what we truly need even if we don't. If you are feeling paralyzed this morning....don't over-think it. When you go to Him in prayer ...allow Him to give you what you need....peace, wisdom, grace, silence, faith, understanding, time, choice, love, submission, discernment...

It is then that true healing can begin and you can start to walk again.

See you tomorrow...have a blessed day!
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Liberty!"

2009-03-11T02:28:00.000-07:00

Liberty!

by Bayless Conley

Look at Isaiah 30:21,

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

The idea this verse is conveying is that if you get off-course with God, He is going to let you know you are making a wrong decision or a wrong turn.

The Living Bible puts it this way, And if you leave God’s paths and go astray, you will hear a voice behind you say, “Not this way. Walk here.”

What I have come to realize is that you and I have far greater liberty within the parameters of God’s will than I previously thought.

It is important that you stay open and keep things laid out before God. But I have discovered, as I said, that we have far greater liberty than I previously thought. Let me give you an example.

Not long ago, my wife and I were very seriously considering selling our house and moving. Real estate had gone up so much that the equity in our house had more than doubled since we bought it. So we got to thinking that it might be a good time for us to move.

I did not have a word from God about moving. But I just know God well enough to know that I could make a decision like that. If I was getting into an area where we were going to make a mistake, God would let me know!

Some people get so uptight about everything. But as long as you stay open to God, you can make those kinds of decisions, because He will be there to direct you if indeed you are making a mistake.

That is true liberty!

Copied From: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (March 10)

Tuesday - "Protection"

2009-03-10T02:45:00.000-07:00

I love this devotion from Max...I hope it speaks to your heart like it did mine... I am praying that you would be protected today.

Pastor Brian

Deliver Us from the Evil One
by Max Lucado

The next-to-last phrase in the Lord’s prayer is a petition for protection from Satan: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Is such a prayer necessary? Would God ever lead us into temptation? James 1:13 says, “When people are tempted they should not say, ‘God is tempting me.’ Evil cannot tempt God, and God himself does not tempt anyone.” If God does not tempt us, then why pray, “Lead us not into temptation”? These words trouble the most sophisticated theologian.

But they don’t trouble a child. And this is a prayer for the child-like heart. This is a prayer for those who look upon God as their Abba. This is a prayer for those who have already talked to their Father about provision for today (“Give us our daily bread.”) and pardon for yesterday (“Forgive us our debts.”). Now the child needs assurance about protection for tomorrow.

The phrase is best understood with a simple illustration. Imagine a father and son walking down an icy street. The father cautions the boy to be careful, but the boy is too excited to slow down. He hits the first patch of ice. Up go the feet and down plops the bottom. Dad comes along and helps him to his feet. The boy apologizes for disregarding the warning and then, tightly holding his father’s big hand, he asks, “Keep me from the slippery spots. Don’t let me fall again.”

The Father is so willing to comply. “The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand” (Ps. 37:23–24 TLB). Such is the heart of this petition. It’s a tender request of a child to a father. The last few slips have taught us—the walk is too treacherous to make alone. So we place our small hand in his large one and say, “Please, Abba, keep me from evil.”

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/upwords/ (March 6th)

Internet Campus Book Study Chapter Two

2009-03-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is Chapter 2 in the Internet Campus book study of Traveling Light by Max Lucado. Because there are 18 chapters and only 9 weeks in the study...we will be splitting the study between a live group study online at 6PM (ET) on Thursdays and here on the blog (as well as on www.brianvasil.com). Enjoy!

Chapter Two: The Burden of a Lesser God

Enjoy!
Pastor Brian

Monday - "Mission"

2009-03-09T02:12:00.000-07:00

"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." - Jeremiah 29:11

mis·sion (ˈmi-shən), n., 4 a: a specific task with which a person or a group is charged.

This morning, I'd like you to spend a couple of minutes looking at the mission of Flamingo Road Church. What is the mission?

"Partnering with people to reach their God-potential as they: connect with God, become like Christ, and influence their world."

Flamingo Road Church exists to pull alongside people to help them reach the potential they were created for. Every campus, every new series, and every ministry is intended to connect people to God...and in turn....help them grow. This growth is not just for ourselves...it is for the world! We are to take all of our progress and focus on disciplines such as serving and giving of our resources to make a Kingdom difference...to be a part of something bigger than we are....

This morning, pray and ask yourself...

1) Am I connecting with God at a deep level?
2) Am I becoming more like Christ each day?
3) How much of a Christ-like influence am I having on the world?

If you are struggling with these answers...don't worry...that's why Flamingo Road Church is here... stay connected to the Internet Campus and allow God to transform you into a world-changer for Him!

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Friday - Verse Reflection

2009-03-06T02:27:00.000-08:00

Psalm 23:1 "The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want"

This morning, let's reflect on this one verse. As you read it again, meditate on these questions:

1) How big is my God?
2) Am I allowing God to guide me or am I trying to guide God?
3) If God is all I need, why do I want so much?

I'm going to pray through these three questions with you. As we grow together as a campus, let's pray for each other. Lift up someone you remember from the chat room...or maybe somebody you've met on the forums... Pray that their connection with God would grow and strengthen during their quiet time with God this morning.

See you online,
Pastor Brian

Thursday - "Training and Instruction"

2009-03-05T05:42:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 6:1-4: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

The last part of this verse from Ephesians gives us an alternative behavior to yesterday's irritation and infuriation...teach what God wants to our kids. This morning as we take a quick peek into this, I think it's important to remember three things about bible-based guidance and parenting.

1) You can't teach your child what you don't know. If we are going to guide our children in the "training and instruction of the Lord," we have to know what that is. What does God say about big things in the life of your child? How many times should they forgive? What are their responsibilities as children toward authority? Should they give a portion of their allowance to the local church? What happens when their friends pick on them for their faith? If we are going to teach them...we must first know it ourselves. Spend some time studying and memorizing the Bible...and then pass what you have learned along.

2) You can't teach your child what you don't do. I have to admit something to you. As a Pastor, it is much easier for me to tell people what they should do with their lives than actually live it out myself. However, I continually try to be authentic...to challenge people to do things that I have either struggled with in the past...or are currently working on in my own life. Same with your kids. If you are going to instruct them in a spiritual discipline, be sure that you are doing it now or are working on doing it. Your kids see through hypocrisy more than you know.

3) You can't teach your child what you don't believe. Very similar to the last point, but I break it out separately for a reason. So many of us tell our kids to pray for things...but deep inside we don't believe it will happen. We instruct them not to worry...but we secretly believe that they have every right to. If they are going to really learn from us...we have to share God's instruction with the conviction that He really will come through. Teach expectantly. No matter how logical your mind is...it's your child-like faith that will show your son/daughter that you are living out your beliefs.

Tomorrow, we'll pray through another scripture together. I'm looking forward to it.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Irritating the Kids"

2009-03-04T02:02:00.000-08:00

Tuesday - "Honoring the Position"

2009-03-03T02:56:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 6:1-4: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

For many, today's passage is not only possible, it's easy. They have great parents that they respect, admire, and want to be more like. Following leadership like that is wonderful...there is simply nothing like strong, loving parents.

However, this isn't always the case... How do we honor our parents if they aren't worthy of it in our eyes? How can I honor my dad if we fight all the time? How can I respect my mom when she doesn't respect me? Let's look at another passage of scripture that might help...

"Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished." Romans 13:1-2

Now we don't often think about our parents as "governing authorities," but in a sense, they are. This passage indicates that regardless of their parenting skills (or lack thereof)...we are supposed to respect the authority that they have been given by God over us. They are accountable to God for their behaviour....and any harshness they have caused will be dealt with and judged by Him alone.

If you are struggling with honoring parents that seemingly don't deserve it...at least respect their position of authority. Remember today's passage...it promises us that if we do this, it will go well for us and we will live a long life on the earth. I know that seems to simplify things a bit much, but if we can do it...we will live obedient lives that God can bless. It is my prayer for you this morning, that if thinking about honoring your mom and dad seems impossible...that God would show you a way and you would feel release from pain that has held you down for so long.

I'm praying for you.

Pastor Brian

Monday - "Obedience"

2009-03-02T02:04:00.000-08:00

Friday - "The Hippocampus"

2009-02-27T02:34:00.000-08:00

Contributor: Jess Reyes
Title: Lust in the Hippocampus

Matthew 5:28 - But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

When we think of the heart, most of us think of that large blood-pumping, life dependent organ 18 inches below our head. But we all know symbolically, when we talk about matters of the ‘heart’ we refer to feelings and emotions we have, that are as much triggered by memories as they are by a current event or activity. So the 18-inch journey from head-to-heart is really no journey at all, because the heart we refer to is part of the brain, located at its base in an area called the Limbic System. This system, no larger than a tangerine, is the control room for the rest of the brain and to some extent what happens with the whole body. Within this system are several important sub-systems, one being the Amygdala which is primarily involved with emotions and motivation. Another critical sub-systems is called, as funny as it may sound, the “hippocampus”.

The word “hippocampus” might conjure up images of huge, dirty hippos wallowing in a cesspool like mud hole next to a foul smelling lake (call that a campus if you like). But it is actually the most important part of the Limbic System. The hippocampus is in charge of creating and recalling memories. It provides memory road maps that can trigger in mille-seconds, millions of neuron brain cells in hundreds of places in the brain where memory sensor history is stored for a given experience. The recall is so good the ‘resolution’ pattern throughout the brain is almost like the original experience. So the movie like view, smell, taste, sound and feelings you had years ago eating your first slice of Mom’s freshly baked pecan pie is a moment in time that can be enjoyed over and over again at the beckoning of any stimuli that tags that hippocampus memory map for the brain.

To some extent this has led scientists to question what is and what isn’t reality for the brain and to also question what is human consciousness. So, what Jesus said about lust in the heart 2000 years ago in Mathew 5:28 is all the more convincing given the function of the hippocampus. Lust in the ‘heart’ or hippocampus can be as sinful and dangerous as an actual mind-body event.
Given these realities, how does your ‘hippocampus’ look today? Is it filled with dirty, hippo-size memory maps that are recalled and modified given lustful stimulus encountered? Are these memory maps exploited at your leisure whether triggered for a guy by seeing a beautiful woman with high heals at the mall; or for a woman by a checkout counter tabloid picture of George Clooney? What can we do to purge our hippocampus of these sinful memory maps to help cleanup the ‘campus’ so to speak? For one thing we can pray and ask for the Lord’s help and strength. We can also focus our minds on good things!

Philippians 4:8 …whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Most important we can live our lives in a way to stay as close to the path the Lord provides us daily. With the help of the Bible and the help of Christians friends that care about our well being, we can win the war against lust in the hippocampus.

Thank you Lord for the wonderful creation you have given us in the physical. Help us to honor You by honoring what You have entrusted to us in body, mind and soul.

Thursday - "The Plan"

2009-02-26T02:09:00.000-08:00

We plan vacations. We plan our retirement. Some even set out their clothes the night before to make sure that they have everything for the next day. However many of us (or our kids) make no plan whatsoever when they decide to date. As Christ-followers there are a few things that are essential if we are to have a relationship with another person that honors God and allows us to live blessable lives.

1) Guard Your Heart - "Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life." - Proverbs 4:23

Be careful about giving away your affections...when we become heart-connected with someone without knowing their character, we run the risk of throwing our lives off-course.

2) Know Who You are Dating - "Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” - 1 Cor. 15:33

Don't fool yourself, if they are people who aren't honoring God with their lives...it WILL affect you and your mindset. Most people are tricked into thinking it can't happen. It does nearly every time.

3) If you are a Christ-follower, date Christians - "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" - 2 Cor. 6:14

I've seen too many couples who try to date when one is a believer and the other isn't. Remember, this person you are dating could potentially be your husband/wife! Spirituality will come up and it isn't an easy hurdle to clear!

Overall, don't compromise your values or who Christ made you to be. You have worth. You are a child of the King. Don't settle just to be married. Don't give up your identity just to hold hands with someone. Stay strong...date in a way that honors Christ...set your boundaries beforehand... and watch God bless your life (and your relationships) immeasurably.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "The Gift"

2009-02-25T02:08:00.000-08:00

"I say this as a concession, not as a command. But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. But God gives to some the gift of marriage, and to others the gift of singleness." 1 Cor. 7:6-7 (NLT)

I found this poem this morning and thought I'd share it in connection with today's verse:

SINGLE, BUT NOT FOR LONG

I'm single right now, but not for long,
The longer I wait, the more I become strong,
As I wait my focus is not on my spouse,
Instead I focus on building my House,
My House is the inner man, my spirit and soul,
That part of me I want to be made whole,
So I wait on the Lord for my spouse to be,
As I know my spouse patiently awaits me,
Being single is a gift I really adore,
As a single I realize that I can always do more,
More for the Lord as He guides and directs me,
This is a privilege I will lose when I marry,
I'm not saying to be married is wrong,
Because I know I won't be single for long,
But in my time that I'm single and free,
I can do more as he guides and directs me,
So my advice to you as you have single time left,
To do all God has for you when the timing is best.

Warren A. Hodge, Jr.
- ALL Glory to God
Copyright ©2001

Where you are...who you are right now is a gift. Whether single or married, you have tremendous opportunity to share the Great News about Jesus Christ.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "The Benefit"

2009-02-24T02:08:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 (TNIV) “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.”

I speak with so many people that say they are incomplete without a husband or wife. While many want a mate to enjoy life with... some want to get married because they believe it will complete them or make them "normal" in the eyes of society. The apostle Paul had other ideas. When we look at today's passage we realize that while marriage is wonderful...it is not the only way a person can be effective for the Kingdom of God.

Paul writes that a single man can be concerned with things of God...and not have to balance keeping his wife happy as well. Same goes for a single woman...she can focus on what God has called her to do without regard for the opinion of her husband. Single people have opportunities that married people do not except most don't realize it. They can be much more flexible and opportunistic when it comes to going and doing what God calls them to do. Want to volunteer at a new campus? Go! Want to be a part of a ministry team? Whenever you want! Enjoy the chances that you have to follow God whenever and wherever He tells you to go!

If you are single this morning, take a few moments and pray about what you can do with the opportunities you have in your current stage of life. Ask God for clarity...to see your singleness not as a burden, but as a chance to make a Kingdom difference with focus and purpose.

If you are married...ask your husband or wife first...then pray (just kidding). You have opportunities as well... You can also make a Kingdom difference...and my encouragement to you is twofold:
1) Support those that you know that are single. Don't infer that they are somehow have less value because they are unmarried.
2) Live as examples of married couples (cafe con leche) that can serve God effectively together.

In either case, married or single... thank God for where you are right now. Keep going after your God-potential and seek to make a footprint for Christ in your community.

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Monday - "Change"

2009-02-23T02:07:00.000-08:00

Good Morning! It has been said that the only one who likes change is a baby with a dirty diaper. Change can be hard...it can test your faith and raise your blood pressure... How can we deal with it better? Today's devotional by Laura MacCorkle is a refreshing perspective on change and the stress it can bring...

See you tomorrow,
Pastor Brian

Change is Stressful
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Entertainment Editor

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30, NIV

"Change is stressful."

I remember my very first boss saying that to me when the direct marketing agency we worked for was undergoing massive restructuring within the various divisions.

It felt like the staff had been thrown into a giant grab bag and then dumped back out. However we landed was where (and with what teams of people) we now worked.

It was ultimately change for the better, but he was right. It was stressful. Figuratively speaking, "dust" that had settled was then being disrupted and wafting about the air causing many of us discomfort as we sneezed and hacked and scratched at our irritated eyes. Why do we have to change? Why do I have to work with this person now? God, I was very comfortable and doing so great with the way things were before. So why are you disrupting my life now?

It didn't take me long to get over this change, however. Really, it was more annoying than anything else - unlike other changes in our lives that we would probably all agree are automatically "good" things: a new job, getting married, having a baby, etc. Yet, even these types of changes can bring about stress as well as our worlds take on new landscapes.

At the other end of the spectrum, other life changes can be extremely painful for us. Death, moving far away, loss of employment, divorce, disease. Lord, how can this possibly be good? It hurts so much. Why would you purpose this for me? What did I do wrong?

In hindsight, I can see how God has caused all types of changes in my life to effect growth and open doors to new opportunities. Sometimes the changes pained me beyond measure and other times they just kept me awake at night with nervous excitement. But through it all, there was beauty that resulted and the Lord helped me to give him the glory and the strength to make it through all circumstances (Phil. 4.11-3).

Wherever you are today or whenever you are reading this, I'm ninety-nine percent sure that you are going through some sort of change in your life right now. I am, too.

You may be very cognizant of it. It may have you feeling over the moon. Or it may hurt like the dickens. Or the change may be so slow-going and so subtle, that you may not even know you are undergoing it. But whatever it may be, what is most important is how you and I respond to what God is doing in our lives.

Resolve to take Jesus' yoke upon yourself. Give the change you're undergoing to him. As we seek him, learn from him and how we can follow him in our daily living, he will be with us. He may not give us the answers we're looking for or resolve our situations right away. But rest assured, he will surely undergird us and give us strength and joy as we go through whatever change he has ordained in our lives.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalkdevo/ (Feb. 20, 2009)

Friday Verse

2009-02-20T02:21:00.000-08:00

This morning, I invite you to read this verse and meditate on it.

"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

- What do I need to trust God with this morning?
- Who is my source of strength? Me or God?
- Am I trying to hard to be in control?

I'm praying for you. See you this weekend online...

Pastor Brian

Thursday - "Fath, Hope, and Love"

2009-02-19T02:14:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT) “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”

FAITH - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2-3

Trials and struggles test our faith. The world tests the faith in our marriage. Why is faith important? Because when we demonstrate our faith...perseverance results and God is glorified.

HOPE - Hope is what gets us through the challenges...the knowledge that whatever our marriage might be facing is for our good. No matter how dark it may seem right now in your relationship...God is there. No matter what the balance of your checking account says...God is there. No matter how many times you have let each other down in the past...God is there. God is there...and God is hope. He wants your marriage to thrive much more than you ever could...and He will give you the strength, wisdom, and sense of peace to make it happen.

LOVE - Jesus loves us exactly as we are. He loves you and your spouse equally and without reservation. This morning, think back to two times in your life: the first time you fell in love with Jesus and the first time you fell in love with your spouse. What were you feeling in both of those instances? Has that feeling diminished? If yes, why? Pray this morning for a new fire...a new drive to get passionate again about Christ...and your marriage.

Faith, hope, love... this morning, ask God to show you which of these needs your attention...communicate with your spouse about it...and work on a plan to make it happen.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Vision"

2009-02-18T02:36:00.000-08:00

“Hope is not a strategy” - John C. Maxwell
author of Talent is Never Enough

Have you ever put together one of those pieces of furniture that come in a box? You know the type...500 pieces, a bottle of glue, some nails and a rough sketch of the finished product... I believe there are two types of people who assemble these... those that follow the detailed instructions and those that just blindly start putting wood together into the shape on the box cover.

Some things you can just start building haphazardly. Your marriage is not one of them.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” - Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

Where there is no plan...things don't work. Where there is no strategy...relationships fall apart. Where there is no direction....things feel scattered and disconnected. Today as you spend time praying, think about your marriage...is there a plan? In any form? Where do you want to be in five years financially? Spiritually, how much effort is put into growing together in Christ? Emotionally...are you two connecting or are you roommates with a common last name?

What's the plan? The Vision? Have you ever sat and talked about it?

The greatest thing about today is that it is a perfect time to start. Take some time this morning and write out a couple of things to start on. Then, ask God to bless you with the vision required to be where He wants you to be. Your marriage is worth it.

Blessings,
Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "What Does God Look Like?"

2009-02-17T02:43:00.000-08:00

YOUR CONCEPT OF GOD
by Neil Anderson

Matthew 7:11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Most people in spiritual conflict have a distorted concept of God. Mentally they may have embraced correct theology, but emotionally they feel something different. True concepts of God are filtered through a grid of negative experiences to produce false concepts of God. These false concepts must be replaced by truth in order for freedom to be realized.
A pastor's wife who came to me for counseling told me about her rigidly moral home which was dominated by her demanding mother. The father was a wimp who knew better than to interrupt the mother's tirades against their daughter.
"You really love Jesus, don't you?" I asked the pastor's wife.
"Oh, yes," she responded.
"And you really love the Holy Spirit?"
"Yes, I do."
"But you don't even like God the Father, do you?"
She could only respond with tears. Her concept of the heavenly Father was distorted by the image of her earthly father. She perceived Jesus and the Holy Spirit as actively involved with her, but in her mind God the Father, like her earthly father, just sat around passive and uncaring while she went through torture in her life.
I often ask, "If you performed better, would God love you more?" Most people know the right answer: no. But when I ask if they feel loved by God, most express that they show more love and concern for their own children than they expect God to show for them (see Luke 11:9-13). This is all part of Satan's strategy to raise up thoughts against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). If the enemy can keep people from a true concept of God, he can destroy their hope in God.
Copied From: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/dailyinchrist/ (Feb. 16, 2009)

Monday - "Real Love Hurts"

2009-02-16T02:20:00.000-08:00

Real Love Hurts
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Entertainment Editor

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
1 John 3:16, NIV

So THIS is love, I thought.

I was only about nine years old at the time, but I just knew that I was experiencing real love when I gazed at my first crush. He was a good church boy with blond hair and brown eyes. I don't remember his name now, but at the time I just knew it was written on my heart.

A few years later, seasons and feelings had changed and another church boy caught my attention. He was new to our congregation and a year older than me. And when he sang a duet with his older sister in our Sunday evening service, I was hooked. I would pine away for this boy 'til we were both in high school. And finally, when I was 15, he asked me out.

Real love? Hardly. It was infatuation all the way. And I ended things with him a few months later when I got "tired" of him. As the years went by, I did more of this with other young men - usually as preemptive strikes so that I would never get hurt.

See the pattern? Well, fast forward a couple of decades to recently when my tried-and-true method didn't work out so well for me. I got dumped first! And I never saw it coming. I was pursued, wined and dined and showered with gifts. But these outward actions were not very tell-tale of what was going on internally with my suitor. It was all a whirlwind act that couldn't last more than a couple of months, and it didn't.

I was crushed. Hurt beyond measure. But by what? By real love gone wrong? Not really. There was no love there - just selfish desires connecting two emotionally unhealthy and hurting people for a short while.

It took this dumping for me to finally wake up and see how I had been treating others for all of these years. I only stayed in a relationship until I got what I wanted, and then I was out. This is and was not love.

Love is not what I'm getting out of a relationship. It's about my will, my choice to love others and give of myself.

The Lord wants us all to see what real love is and that it requires great sacrifice and that it does hurt and make us uncomfortable to love in the way he has loved us. In short, real love is this: A Savior, who became a man and died for the sins of you and me and the rest of the world.

May we all be encouraged to open our hearts, sacrifice and show real love toward one another because He first loved us.

Copied from http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalkdevo/ (Feb. 13)

Friday - "What is Your Life Defining Moment?"

2009-02-13T02:55:00.000-08:00

Title: What Is Your Life Defining Moment?

Devotional music suggestion: None But Jesus – Hillsong United
http://www.imeem.com/cj102087/music/MYCr7o2t/hillsong_none_but_jesusmp3/

Jeremiah 1:5 - "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”

What is the “defining moment” for your life? Most Christians would say it is the moment they accept Christ as their Savior. It is that moment in time they see their true sinful nature and character, and ask that it be changed forever. But, could it be another moment in time well before then? A moment less pronounced, when they were in willful control of their own path and made a decision on their own will, that put them on the collision glide path to salvation?

While the main definition and use of the phase “defining moment” is related to our response to a life-changing event like accepting Christ as our Savior. A far less popular definition of “defining moment” is that it is a “turning point” that determines or typifies all related events that follow. The turning point event could be as simple as a feeling that makes you make a decision a certain way, or perhaps simply making a new friend that led to …; or the death of a pet or loved one that caused you to …, or an accident that made you … . All these kinds of events and our response to them are far more centered on our own self-determined and direct will, and as such could be more significant as a defining moment.

My defining moment happened when I was 13 years old, at the intersection of Parker Avenue and Howell Place in Aurora, Illinois on a cool Saturday night on September 26th, 1964 at 6:50pm. John Marks, a public swimming pool friend from the summer, had invited me to a youth group hayride at a church he was invited to only days before! After walking almost 30 minutes from my house to his house, where we were to meet and then walk the final mile to the church together, I was greeted at the door by his mother. She said in sadness that John could not go because he had the flu. Frustrated and in total disappointment I left his small home and started my two and a half mile walk back home through the cool shadows of dusk, in the opposite direction from the church. I walked about a city block then slowed and stopped at the corner of Parker Avenue and Howell Place feeling “the nudge”, as Pastor Troy Gramling calls it. I reasoned to myself why I should go to the church alone and then reasoned why I shouldn’t. The “turning point” was a nervous right-foot back-step that turned me towards the church and the rest of my life. They welcomed me that night; it placed me onto a fast moving fatal glide-path collision coarse several months later where my own plan died on impact at God’s plan for my life. I met my future wife, my life friend Bill, my career and many other things on this new vector of life.

Again I ask, what is the “defining moment” in your life? Was it when you accepted Christ as your Savior or was it well before then when you did something that put you on a glide path impact to Christ?

If you have not accepted Christ as your Savior yet, are you at least on the glide path yet? God knew you and crafted a God size-plan for you before you were born and this moment may be your defining moment for your life.

All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope, all of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord Forevermore!
None But Jesus lyrics
Hillsong United

Contributor: Jess Reyes (www.frccommunity.com)

Thursday - "Go Team!"

2009-02-12T02:31:00.000-08:00

As a Pastor, I get asked all the time "What makes a marriage stronger?" I honestly think it boils down to a few simple things...we've discussed a couple of them already this week:

1) Keep Christ the center of your marriage
2) Trust each other
3) Communicate with each other in a positive way
4) Enjoy each other

It is this fourth component that we are going to pray about this morning. What does it mean to "enjoy" your relationship? Let's look at today's verse:

Proverbs 17:22 (NLT2) "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength."

What does it mean to have a cheerful heart and not a "broken spirit?" Simple, a cheerful heart has the right attitude and perspective of how Christ wants their marriage to be. They realize that they are part of a team...each member giving 100% to the relationship. I have heard is said many times that marriage is 50/50. I disagree. That implies that each person only gives half of what they are able to give. No, cheerful hearts give unselfishly... Cheerful hearts serve unselfishly... Cheerful hearts love unselfishly.

If you are married, you are part of a team...a whole...in the eyes of God, you are one. I understand that in many marriages, only one spouse is willing to live with a "cheerful heart" while the other seems to be a taker. However, Christ has called us to be individually accountable for our behaviour. We have to make the choice to be dedicated to our husband/wife...how they behave is their issue with God, not yours. You can't force your spouse into a cheerful heart...

Do you want to enjoy your relationship? Keep praying, listening, and serving God... give, serve, and love your spouse without bitterness... and watch your marriage blossom into exactly what God intended it to be. Go team!

Pastor Brian

Wednesday - "Drifting Off Course"

2009-02-11T02:30:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 15:28 (NLT2) The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.

The cub scout in my boat was terrified. We looked at each other with a genuine fear...not knowing exactly where the canoe we were in was headed. It was my job to paddle this young man across the lake in a symbolic "crossing over" ceremony in the Boy Scouts. He was moving from Cub Scout to Boy Scout...and this canoe journey was symbolic of his new rank. We had started out ok...but my inexperience and lack of control of the boat had led us out to the middle of nowhere... I knew how to paddle...but it seemed that a combination of the wind and my inability to steer in a straight line had led us to this point. Little by little our tiny canoe had drifted off course....

I was thinking about today's verse in the context of our relationships...more specifically...our marriages. Many couples don't realize that the arguments that they have currently are the result of small snipes...quips...or sarcastic remarks along the way. These tiny yet hurtful jabs each day, while not powerful enough to invoke an argument at the time, add up. Before you know it, your marriage is in a canoe in the middle of nowhere...desperately trying to figure out where it all went wrong.

The Bible talks about our tongue being a rudder that steers our ship. Our words mean so much. They can be inspiring and caring marriage builders...or decay that eats away at the integrity and trust that are critical to a healthy marital relationship. Each time we get the change to communicate with our spouse, the words used should be carefully considered...not juts flippant remarks based on our mood or disposition. Words can be so positive and encouraging...or so hurful...we get to choose. Remember, you may not get to control every aspect of your marriage, but you do get to choose how you verbally react to those aspects.

Today, talk to God and ask Him to reveal to you any deficiencies in this area. Positive communication with your spouse is crucial to building a stronger connection...and, more importantly, a marriage that honors Christ.

Pastor Brian

PS: The little Cub Scout and I made it to the other side. Working together, we navigated our way back to shore... (that teamwork concept is what we are discussing tomorrow)

Tuesday - "Loyalty"

2009-02-10T02:23:00.000-08:00

How important is loyalty? If you are in a position of leadership in a company, having loyal employees is critical. If you are picking a friend, loyalty is a crucial component of your relationship. Does this change when we begin to discuss the arena of marriage? Let's look at this morning's verse:

Proverbs 3:3 (NLT2) "Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart."

Loyalty is one of those non-negotiables when it comes to your spouse...but what does it mean to be a loyal husband or wife?

- You protect each other verbally - Speak well of your spouse even if they aren't in the room
- You are more concerned with keeping your spouse happy than the opinions of your friends
- You do not keep secrets from one another
- Your spouse comes first...before work, the kids (ouch), or other family... The only One who comes before your spouse is God

This morning I'd like you to take a quick look at that list again and run your marriage through those criteria. Are you doing all 4? Great! If not, take some time and ask God how to improve your loyalty to your beloved.

God is incredibly loyal to you. You are His priority this morning...He loves you as you start this brand new day and everyday. Let's really work together on improving our loyalty...your marriage is worth it!

Pastor Brian

Monday - Unresolved Conflict

2009-02-09T01:42:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 29:22 (NLT2) An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.

I really don't mind rainy days, do you? The earth needs the water and I don't mind my car getting a free bath... Sunny days are great too, aren't they? You can go to the beach or the park, walk to your destination, and simply enjoy the warmth... You know which days are really annoying? The overcast ones. The gray sky. Is it going to rain or clear? Downpour or dry? Raincoat or shorts?

I've talked to a lot of married people...and that is the climate in some relationships. Grey sky. Overcast. The lingering clouds of unresolved conflict hovering above their heads. Will he be angry today and pour down? Will she lash out and hold my past against me? Will the argument that we brushed under the rug last week come back up in some strange way and flood our evening with fighting? Ever feel like that?

The Bible is quite clear about what we are supposed to do with those dark clouds that hover over our marriages:

Ephesians 4:26 "And 'don’t sin by letting anger control you.' Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, "

Marital conflict should be resolved as quickly as possible.... speak openly... communicate... share, don't attack or blame... seek understanding not victory.... listen twice as much as you speak...

It's not easy sometimes, but it is my prayer that when the storm clouds gather in your relationship, you will work very hard to turn the skies blue again.

Pastor Brian

Friday - "God's Provision"

2009-02-06T02:23:00.000-08:00

God's Provision
By Anita Strychalski (from the www.frccommunity.com forums)

Luke 13:18, “Then Jesus said, ‘What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.’ He also asked, ‘What else is the Kingdom of God like? It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.’”

The Kingdom of God provides and brings increase. I think of Jacob. He left his father’s land for the wrong reason. Just in case you don’t know the story you can read about it in Genesis 27 & 28. God turned it into an opportunity of increase. Laban worked real hard at making Jacob work really hard. Seven years for the ‘one’ that shockingly wasn’t the ‘one’. I wonder if Jacob ever thought about the time he tricked his father into blessing him with Essau’s blessing on the morning after his honeymoon? I wonder if that is why he stuck around for another seven years for the real ‘one’ and another seven years to build up his herd. I wonder if Jacob ever thought about how he left and how he was going to return? Secretly running away. It was God's goodness that brought about the increase, not Jacob.

God knows what is in my heart. My desires, hopes, dreams - what I am capable of and my shortcomings. He also knows my character. What I stand for and when the next card dealt in my hand will cause me to run. He is like that, all-knowing; yet all-loving anyways; in spite of me. Now that is what I call the law of provision. God takes me in all my splendor and shapes it for Him and all His Glory!

Dear Father, Thank you for putting your hand upon my life. Before I knew you, You were wooing me to you. You had a plan of provision and increase, way before I experienced lack in my life-before I was born, You were already providing a way. Father, in You I find my being and the very breath of life that inspires me to serve others. Thank you for doing all things through me and doing them well. In Jesus Name! Amen.

Thursday - "Your Heart"

2009-02-05T02:37:00.000-08:00

Where’s Your Heart?
by Bayless Conley

I want to have you read and think about Mark 12:41-44 today,

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

That is quite a picture, isn’t it? Jesus sitting opposite the treasury, watching what people put in and how they put it in. I believe Jesus still watches during offering time. He watches how we give, what we give, and why we give. He said, “Where your treasure is, that is where your heart is also.”

Notice He calls His disciples over and says, “This poor widow has put in more than everyone else.” Why? Because He wanted them to understand that God measures your gift based on what you have.

Some people could give $1,000, and there is really no sacrifice at all. It never touches their life, never causes any kind of change of priorities. While for other people, $10 or $15 is a great sacrifice.

I believe some of the rich people Jesus points to in this passage were giving out of their abundance, but from heaven’s viewpoint, they were putting it in with a teaspoon. But this little widow, who put in less than a penny, walked up with a shovelful—everything she had. It got heaven’s attention.

Where is your heart when it comes to giving?

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/Answers/11599015/ (February 3, 2009)

Wednesday - "BV"

2009-02-04T02:36:00.000-08:00

Psalm 24:1 "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him."

When I was in the Boy Scouts, I used to love to go to summer camp. Every year, my mom would go out and buy me new socks, scout shorts, and undershirts so that I would have everything I needed for that great week away in the woods. Before I could pack my gear for the summer, my mom would grab that permanent marker and write my initials on every article of clothing and equipment that entered my scout pack... One day I asked her why she was doing that and she told me it was so I wouldn't come back home with less than I left with...to show all of the other scouts what was mine...

I thought about that as I double locked my front door this morning...securely sealing away my possessions in my house. It got me to thinking...how much of my stuff do I still put my initials on? How important is it to me to identify my possessions as mine...to safeguard them from anybody who wanted to use/borrow/see them? I know that when this life is over, everything that I figuratively mark with my "initials" won't be mine any longer. Instead of leveraging my stuff to bring others closer to Christ...I will have clearly labeled my belongings as "property of me".

Anybody else still marking their stuff with their initials?

I think the right thing to do would be to change the labels on all of my stuff from "BV" to "JC"...after all isn't it all Christ's anyway? Doesn't everything belong to God from the start? I think so... It doesn't mean that I shouldn't lock my door or take care of my things...but it does mean that my perspective about my "stuff" should change. I should see that what God has blessed me with really isn't mine and isn't meant to be selfishly labelled and hoarded. Instead it is to be shared, lent, leveraged, passed along, and given to those that might need help or a glimpse into the character or Jesus.

I challenge you today to take a look at those possessions that you hold most dear. The ones with the biggest set of your initials written on them... what are you doing with the things you hold most dear? As Pastor Troy said this weekend... when it's over... it all goes back in the box... Are you ready to replace your initals with the real owner's initials? Spend this morning praying and asking God if you are being too possessive of your stuff. It's a challenging discussion, but one that might just lower your stress level and give you a fresh perspective on things.

Pastor Brian

Tuesday - "What Motivation?"

2009-02-03T02:33:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we talked about giving and money. I know it has been a tough year for us and the end of this financial crisis looks to be nowhere in sight...but what are we supposed to do about giving? Yesterday, I copied in a great devotional about our motivation to give...why we shouldn't give... today, writer Bayless Conley finishes that thought with the second part of the discussion on giving. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

-Pastor Brian

The Right Motivation
by Bayless Conley

In yesterday’s devotional, we saw how we should not give just to get. That should not be our sole motivation. So the question is, “What is the right motivation?”

All we need to do is look at what motivated God to give. It is found in John 3:16,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God so loved that He gave. And, yes, God certainly did reap a harvest when He gave His Son. He reaped a harvest of sons and daughters.

You should give out of love and devotion for God. Give because you do not want people to go into an eternity without God, because you love humanity, because you have mercy and compassion for broken, dying people.

That is the right motivation for giving. When you give with that motivation, your reward will be great. God will see that it comes back to you multiplied.

That is a far cry from what many emphasize when it comes to giving today. It appears to me that a lot of people, when they teach on giving, are just pushing people’s greed buttons. It seems that the main motivation that some leaders are teaching for people to give is, “Hey, give because God will bless you.” And there is no doubt that God blesses those who give. The scriptural promises are clear.

But what about the weightier matters? Remember how Jesus rebuked the Jewish leadership in Matthew 23:23 because they, “Neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith”?

God looks at the heart. Our hearts ought to be like that of our heavenly Father, who is merciful, kind, loving, and generous, even to the most thankless and evil among us. That is the right motivation.

Copied from: http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answersforeachday/ (Feb. 2, 2009)