You Have the Spirit of Promise!

God’s covenant with Abraham and the Spirit of Promise

God made a covenant with Abraham about four thousand years ago. God promised Abraham that he would make a great nation of him, that he would bless him, that Abraham would in turn be a blessing to all families of the earth, and that he would be the father of many nations (Genesis 12:2-3, 17:1-7). What an awesome promise!

The nation of Israel became a reality several hundred years later under the leadership and law of Moses, but they never became a blessing to all nations of the earth, and never became a multitude of nations. In fact, they fell into great sin, rejected God, and as punishment were taken out of the land by pagan nations. What happened to God’s promise to Abraham?

God’s Word tells us that Christ came that the blessing of Abraham might come to all nations, and that we might receive the Holy Spirit of promise. God tells us that His promise to Abraham and his seed was actually a promise to Christ who would be of the line of Abraham, and that if we are in Christ then we are Abraham’s seed and joint heirs with Him of the promise (Galatians 3: 14, 16, 29, Romans 8:16-17).

God give us Great and Final Victory!!

King David and his mighty men celebrate victory.




With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.

[God can out give anyone when it comes to mercy, and God can out sly anyone when it comes to slyness. You can out do God for the good, and you can't outrun God in your mischief.]

For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks. For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall.

[Nothing can stop you in your battles when walk humbly before the Lord.]

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

[God is perfect in all of His ways and His word is proven and sure. He is a shield to all who trust in Him, and He will teach you what you need to know about winning the battles of life.]

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip.

[God will be your deliverer and salvation. God will hold you up when you need a lift and when you feel like you just can't go on.]

I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

[Our part is to pursue and fight the fight until the enemy is vanquished. God's part is to do what it takes to win the victory.]

(Psalms 18:25-39)

Praise God for the promise of victory, and for strength to fight the battle until our adversaries rise no more.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

God preserves a remnant for His name

God's visitation program is a showing up in judgment, and God visited Israel and Judah with His judgment. But the Lord is zealous to preserve a remnant for His name that was faithful to Him.

And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah Shall again take root downward, And bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, And those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
(Isaiah 37:31-32)

Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. So truth fails, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him That there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, And wondered that there was no intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; And His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, And was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, Fury to His adversaries, Recompense to His enemies; The coastlands He will fully repay. So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. "The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the LORD. "As for Me," says the LORD, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the LORD, "from this time and forevermore."
(Isaiah 59:14-21)

Look down from heaven, And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are Your zeal and Your strength, The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained?
(Isaiah 63:15)

Your holy people have possessed it but a little while; Our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.
(Isaiah 63:18)

Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence—
(Isaiah 64:1)

Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and beautiful temple, Where our fathers praised You, Is burned up with fire; And all our pleasant things are laid waste. Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O LORD? Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?
(Isaiah 64:10-12)

Thus says the LORD: "As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, 'Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,' So will I do for My servants' sake, That I may not destroy them all. I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, And from Judah an heir of My mountains; My elect shall inherit it, And My servants shall dwell there.
(Isaiah 65:8-9)

You can go to abideinhisword.com to listen to my morning radio teachings on Revelation where we talk about God's coming wrath and coming glory.

We are either part of the problem or part of the solution. We are either part of the shame, or part of the glory. Which are you? Are you one of the zealous remnant of God that in the midst of apathy and worldliness lifts up the standard for Jesus and His way?

Come visit Egypt tonight at our Calvary Chapel Space Coast Titusville campus and see our zeal for God. Catch the Fire!

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD!

A mighty warrior named Jehu was being used of the Lord to take down the power that King Ahab and Queen Jezebel's royal house had gained over all Israel and Judah. Their sons and son-in-laws reigned in both nations, and they had instituted worship of Baal as the prominent religion with a great temple that they had built to Baal in Israel's capital city Samaria.

Then along came Jehu. He saw to it that Queen mother Jezebel, King Jehoram of Israel, and King Ahaziah were all killed, along with all of the priests and leaders that had supported their wicked regimes. He then met a man of God named Jonadab along his way to Samaria and invited him to join him.

Then he [Jehu] said, "Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD." So they had him [Jehonadab] ride in his chariot. (2 Kings 10:16)

Are you so zealous for the Lord that it shows? Could you invite someone you know to join you for a day and see YOUR zeal for the Lord?

Be blessed, and be a blessing,
Pastor B.

God knows how to bless and we therefore have a hope that cannot be shaken

But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalms 13:5-6)

God is a good God and blesses us abundantly.
He has dealt bountifully with us.
And He is ALWAYS watching over us! The questions is are you ALWAYS looking unto Him?

I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. (Psalms 16:8-9)

Those whose hope is in the Lord are never moved and cannot be shaken. These are those that worship before Him daily and constantly. These are those that rejoice in the Lord always. These are those that trust in God to be merciful and to shower us with favor despite our unworthiness.

Are you one of the "these"?
Be blessed, and be a blessing,
Pastor B.

Not by might nor by power

Our Lord is the Lord of armies and multitudes. He is the Lord of hosts! He has myriads of angels at His beck and command and accomplishes His purposes among the inhabitants of both earth and of heaven (Daniel 4:35).

So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

Amazingly enough God chooses to accomplish great things through the power of the Holy Spirit and tells us not to put our trust in riches or earthly armies, but to put our trust in Him!

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
(Psalms 5:11-12)

Praise God that He is just not a god of the Christian faith, but that He is God of all creation. He is Lord of lords, and King of kings. He is indeed, the Lord of hosts, for all must bow their knee to His will.

You are in GOOD HANDS!!
Be blessed, and be a blessing,
Pastor B.

God's thoughts and words are perfect, what about yours?

I'm sure most, if not all of you that read my devotion would agree that God's throughts and words are perfect.

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
(Psalms 19:7-14)

But waht about OUR thoughts and words? God's Word tells us that we should desire His judgments and ways more than gold, and consider His judgments and ways sweeter than honey.

We all have secret faults in the sense of faults that may not even be apparent to us. But often it is these 'secret' faults, crackes, weaknesses, unrighteousnesses that undermine our thought and emotional patterns so that our words and musings are less then God honoring. God is our strength and our redeemer. IN CHRIST we CAN OVERCOME! So how about submitting the meditations of our hearts and the words that we choose to God? How about asking that He judge our heart's ponderings and our words, and that He purge out the bad stuff? (i.e., the less than righteous stuff).

Here's to purity in all it's beauty. A purity that springs forth from the depths and secret places of our heart.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

How is your walk, your work, your speaking, and your taking?

The word of God says that we must walk uprightly and work righteousness, that is, we must have a righteous action in all that we do.

The word of God goes on to say that we must speak the truth and that we must not take up an offense of another person or believe something shameful about them.

Backbiting, gossiping and evil speaking are probably three of the most hideous 'socially acceptable' sins within the church of Jesus Christ.

While these sins are repugnant to God, they are among those that many Christians would classify as 'no big deal', or 'not that bad'. There are many Christians that would go as far as trying to justify their backbiting and evil speaking.

We wouldn't think to justify lying, yet we come up with all sorts of 'situation ethics' that would justify our speaking evil of others. Sometimes it's even couched in spiritual jargon, such as "So and so really has a bad problem and we need to pray for them."

What does the word of God say?

LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
(Psalms 15:1-5)

People who have a healthy walk with the Lord are not moved by the storms of life as they have their lives built upon the rock of Jesus Christ.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Saturday Night, Saturday Night

There's an old song,
Saturday night, Saturday night, we all get together on a Saturday night,
on a Sunday or a Monday you can't do it right,
it's just gotta be a Saturday night.

Well, we have our new PSJ Saturday night service at 6:00! It's casual and it's contemporary, and it comes complete with coffee and snacks and fellowship afterwards. The youth meet at 7:30 afterwards and have a great time playing, doing worship music, talking, and having Bible study discussions.

Please take today and pray for this outreach, and if you're local, make a point to drop in.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:24-25)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

What is God working on?

There is a plan that God is working, and it includes all of the saints, that is, all those that have been set apart for His purpose. Are you one of those?

If so, how do you fit into His plan? Do you know what His plan is? The Bible is very clear that God is, among other things, conforming a called out set of people to the image of Jesus Christ.

Are you one of those that God has called out?

Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
(Romans 8:27-29)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

God will bless the righteous

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
(Psalms 5:11-12)

Just who are "the righteous"? This is a million dollar question, as there are many blessing and promises of God that are made for the righteous.

But Romans 3:10 tells us that there aren't any righteous!

As it is written: "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE;
(Romans 3:10)

Many of us who have accepted Christ call ourselves 'saved' but wouldn't necessarily think of ourselves as righteous. And then there are those Pharisees in the temple that thought of themselves as righteous, but Jesus indicated that they weren't justified (in right standing) with God.

The good news (i.e., gospel) of Jesus Christ is that through Christ many were made righteous before God!

Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
(Romans 5:18)

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, "HE WHO GLORIES, LET HIM GLORY IN THE LORD."
(1 Corinthians 1:30-31)

Praise God! Christ is our righteousness, our sanctification (i.e., holiness), and our redemption. He not only made us 'saveable', but He actually redeemed us from the curse of the law, and gave us right standing (i.e., justification) with God through His blood atonement.

From one that is righteous in Christ,
Pastor B.

God will surround you with favor!

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. (Psalms 5:11-12)


You're surrounded! With the favor of Almighty God.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
(Proverbs 3:3-4)

God will richly bless you with favor as you put your trust in Him, shout in Him, rejoice in Him, stand in the righteousness of Christ, stand on the word of Christ, and stand in the mercy of Christ.

Like Samuel, Jesus, and the early church, you will grow in favor with God and man.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Don't Grow Weary in Well Doing

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
(Galatians 6:7-10)

It is interesting to note that sowing and reaping goes along with not growing weary in well doing. If we grow weary in well doing we can take our hands off the plow and miss our harvest. We must not lose heart if we are going to sow and reap God's blessing. The apostle Paul knew what it was like to grieve in his heart as he ministered to people.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
(2 Corinthians 2:4)

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18)


And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
(2 Corinthians 12:15)

The key in the above passages is to keep our focus on Christ.

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
(Colossians 3:1-2)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Tasting the Blessing

This is the view Moses had of the promised land from Mt. Nebo shortly before his death.

Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is across from Jericho. And the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the South, and the plain of the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there." So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 34:1-5)

If we are not careful we can sometimes see a blessing without being able to experience the blessing. The old saying that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush is a reminder that the blessing is not ours until we have embraced it.

Moses was a humble man that that failed to experience the promised blessing of a great land because of his lack of faith and/or obedience. Elisha the prophet prophesied of a great miracle in 2 Kings 7 and the king's messenger did not believe God could or would do such a thing. Elisha told him that he would get to see the blessing, but not taste of it (2 Kings 7:19).

God has a banquet laid out before us of great blessing, but unfortunatley there are many that never get to taste of the greatest blessings on the table because of their lack of faith. Hebrews 4:2 tells us that the Israelites failed to enter into God's rest because of their lack of faith in His Word.

Are you trying to embrace God's richest blessings without trusting in and living by God's Word?

If so, you may get to see them, but you won't get to taste them. Taste and see that the Lord is good, and His mercies endure forever.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

We are Watchmen on the Walls

We are Watchmen on the Walls of the City of God

Walls are used to protect those within them, but warning must be spread to those outside the walls to flee to the safety within the walls when a danger is coming.

When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. (Ezekiel 3:18)

It is good that we have fled the wrath of God and are secure within the walls of Mt. Zion. We have an obligation, however, to warn those without.

What have YOU been doing lately to warn others of the Day of the Lord?

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Memorial Day

this video is in memory of those that died in service to our country’s military.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_klwtm67ogg

This video is in honor of those that are currently serving in our country’s military overseas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkkzNa2nlZI&feature=related

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

All For His Glory

One of the closings I use on many of my communications is "All by His grace, All for His glory."

"You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created." (Revelation 4:11)

God willed us and created us and we are set apart (sanctified) for a special purpose.

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
(Hebrews 10:14)

We have been perfected, that is matured in Christ. We are mature beautiful fruit on the vine of Jesus Christ, and this was accomplished through one sacrifice for all time.

We weren't created so that we could just experience the joy of being fruit and hanging out on an awesome vine or tree.

We were created for the glory of God.

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.
(Philippians 2:9-11)

and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
(Revelation 1:6)

So what's your 'bringing God glory' index looking like right now? How have you been bringing glory to your Heavenly Father and your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? The amazing thing about all this, is that God promises us that as we serve Him and bring Him glory that we will receive glory in Christ Jesus. If we lose our lives, we shall truly find them! Jump in to being a fully devoted follower of Christ! The water's fine.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Just How Naked ARE You?

Most of you remember the fairy tale of the Emperor's New Clothes. If you don't you can google it and there are many sites that have the story. Impostors claimed to be weaving exquisite cloth for the emperor and yet what they held up for inspection was nothing! Fearing that something must be wrong with themselves, the king's men didn't challenge the impostors but complimented them on the material. The emperor in turn didn't want to admit that he couldn't see anything, and ended up wearing an imaginary set of clothes!

We, like the emperor, think we are wearing a great outfit when the world tell us we looks good, but in reality we are, by God's standard naked.

When we look at ourselves through the eyes of the world, we see ourselves as reasonably happy, reasonably well off, reasonably well clothed, and reasonably healthy. Yet if we are not living wholeheartedly for Christ we are in fact, wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and yes, naked.

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
(Revelation 3:16-19)

Are you fervent for the Lord? Do you see the urgency of reaching the lost for Christ? Do you see the urgency of reaching the 'off track ones' for Christ?

It is when we lose our fervency and our sense of urgency that lethargy, apathy, and lukewarmness set in. Suddenly we are no longer sacrificially serving God out of a commitment, but serving Him when it is convenient. When we can afford to, when we're not too tired, when we don't have anything more important or more enjoyable to do.

God help us!
Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Christ is Ever Knocking- Are You Answering?

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
(Revelation 3:20)

Christ is ever seeking our fellowship and we either join in that fellowship or refuse it.

Have you been fellowshipping with Christ, or have you been shutting Him out?

The word of God warns us that if our love is to be without hypocrisy we must abhor that which is evil and cling to that which is good.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
(Romans 12:9)

Unfortunately sometimes we avoid the good (i.e., praying, witnessing, fellowshipping with the saints, worshipping, studying the Word), and cling to the stuff that is unhealthy and worldly.

Opportunity always knocks, but so does Christ. He brings opportunity to be spiritually victorious and to honor and glorify God with our life.

So are you answering?

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Are You Born of God? Then You are an Overcomer!

We don't often see ourselves as overcomers. We tend to focus more on our circumstances or our failures then on who we are in Christ.

The apostle John said this,

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 John 5:4)

The faith of God is more powerful then the world. Therefore those that have it are more powerful then the world.

The apostle John also said,

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them [evil spirits], because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

The faith of God is more powerful then the evil spirits at work in the world. Therefore those that have it are more powerful then the demonic forces in the world.

No wonder the apostle James said, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
(James 4:7)

Our theme this year at Calvary Chapel Space Coast has been, "Overcome, or Be Overcome". This is not a season for the church of Jesus Christ to sit back and relax and take a breather. This is a season for the church of Jesus Christ to move against the forces of evil at work in this world and OVERCOME!

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Revelation- Jesus is Ruler over the Kings of the Earth

Did you know that Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth?

Our SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY is Revelation 1:5, which says,

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (Revelation 1:5)

Do you realize what that means? God is in control!

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. (Proverbs 21:1)

The world so often looks so out of control that we sometimes forget that despite the fact that sin has infected our world, and that sinners hold positions of great authority, JESUS CHRIST HOLDS A GREATER POSITION OF AUTHORITY!

Our God loved us and washed us from our sins by His own blood!!

And now the risen Christ is reigning until all enemies are subjected to Him.

For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. (1 Corinthians 15:25)

Praise God for His salvation and deliverance! Praise God for His merciful reign over man and His patience toward us, not willing that any perish, but that all would come to repentance.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Press Toward the Goal

Press toward the goal, my brothers and sisters in Christ!

Do not lean on your own understanding, do not trust your natural wisdom, do not think that you will win in your own strength, but whole heartedly put y0ur trust in the Lord.

It starts with making sure you have a right standing with God (the Bible calls this being "justified"), and this is obtained through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

It then continues as you walk in that faith, trusting God at every turn to work on your behalf.

"When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. And he shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'
(Deuteronomy 20:1-4)

Can you believe this? Before the general and the officers of the army addressed the troops, the priests were to address the troops. Yes, we are responsible to act, but our faith must not be in our own strength, but in the will and might of our God. Our God is our strength and our deliverer.

For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 3:3-14)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Our SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY is Philippians 3:10

The Early Church and the Word

How important was the Word in the growth of the early church?

Then those who gladly received his word were immersed; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
(Acts 2:41)

However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
(Acts 4:4)

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
(Acts 4:31)

but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." . . . Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
(Acts 6:4, 7)

So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
(Acts 8:25)

The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the immersion which John preached:
(Acts 10:36-37)

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
(Acts 10:44)

Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.
(Acts 11:1)

Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.
(Acts 11:19)

But the word of God grew and multiplied.
(Acts 12:24)

who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.
(Acts 13:7)

On the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.
(Acts 13:44)

Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.
(Acts 13:48-49)

Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing."
(Acts 15:35-36)

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
(Acts 17:11)

And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks . . . So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
(Acts 19:10, 20)

"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
(Acts 20:32)

So what do you think? How important was the spread of the Word of God in the growth of the early church?

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
(Acts 1:8)

So how are you doing in being a witness for the Lord to those around you?

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Golden Pot Stirrer Award

How often have you been accused of stirring the pot? Did you know that stirring the pot can be a good thing, especially if you're stirring up the people of God to look out for each other and love each other the way Christ loved us.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
(Hebrews 10:24)

How about do a little pot stirring today? Can you think of some ways that you can encourage a Christian brother or sister to share the gospel with someone? Or, to help out someone? Or, to bless a Christian brother or sister in a special way?

Be blessed, and be a blessing,

Pastor B.

Let Your Light Shine

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5:16)

"Good works" are more than actions. Good works are acts of obedience. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your acts of obedience and glorify your Father in heaven. One of our first acts of obedience must be to repent of our sins and receive Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." (John 6:28-29)

Another act of obedience is to be the witness that God calls us to be.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Witnesses are sworn to tell the truth, and they are obligated to TESTIFY! We must testify, and that obligates us to speak up!

There is a sense in which God is on trial in the world every day. There are plenty of those that think of Him, or even accuse Him of beign uncaring, distant, and cold. Those of us that know differently have been called on to testify on His behalf. Not because of the consequences that God must face, but of the consequences that the unrepentant must face.

Let your light be the light of the Spirit and truth of God. Shine brightly til Jesus comes, and may many find their way in the darkness to salvation and new life in Christ because of your light.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

You don't TAKE communion, you SHARE in communion

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship [communion, 'koin-no-nee-a'] with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

It is interesting that we call the Christian passover 'meal' communion. The word communion comes from the Latin 'communis' meaning 'common' or 'shared'. We get the words 'community' and 'commune' from this. Places where everyone mutually participates and shares in community life.

The Christian church is a community of believers that shares in daily life together

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
(Acts 2:46-47)

You don't TAKE communion or fellowship. You SHARE in communion or fellowship.

And our sharing or participation in communion is not based on OUR worthiness, but on the worthiness of Jesus Christ!

So why does the scripture tie fellowship with the cleansing of the blood of Christ? It is the blood of Christ that brings us into fellowship with the Father and the FAMILY of God. If we have communion the blood of Christ cleanses us from our sin. Not because communion cleanses us from our sin, but because communion is the outward demonstration of the relationship that we have with the Father and the family through the blood of Christ. It is the evidence that the blood is working on our behalf because it has brought us into fellowship with the Father and the family.

Praise God! Praise Him that Christ is our righteousness and our holiness and our sanctification.
Praise Him that the blood of Christ brings us into relationship with the Father and the family of God.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Is Immersion Really that Big a Deal?

We have many denominations within the church of Jesus Christ that do not typically immerse people. The Catholic, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Methodist deonominations are some of the largest of these groups. Each of these groups has made significant contributions to the proclamation of Christ and the advancement of the kingdom of God. I believe it is a good thing to dedicate our infant children to the Lord and commit, as both parents and congregation of Christ, to disciple them as they grow. All Christians, however, would acknowledge that not all of these babies grow up into faith in Christ. Some reject Him. Some receive Him. John the apostle says that:

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:12)

Jesus said that it is important for all of us to publicly confess Him:
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32)

So is immersion the way God has chosen for us to publicly confess our commitment to God? Should children of believing parents be immersed once they have received Christ?

Jesus Himself, though he was dedicated as a baby to God in the temple, was immersed.

Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were immersed by him [John the immerser] in the Jordan, confessing their sins. . . . And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be immersed by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.
(Matthew 3:5-6, 14-15)

Jesus thought it was important enough to submit to it even though He was without sin.

In fact, Jesus tied personal faith to public immersion:

He who believes and is immersed will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16)

It should therefore not surprise us that His apostles tied personal faith to public immersion:

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

And he commanded them to be immersed in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. (Acts 10:48)

Or do you not know that as many of us as were immersed into Christ Jesus were immersed into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through immersion into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, (Romans 6:3-5)

There is also an antitype which now saves us—immersion (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:21)

Personal repentance and faith in Christ is excercised when we call upon the name of the Lord to save us, but public confession in the waters of immersion has been an important declaration of the Christ follower for over 2,000 years.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE DAY:
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
(Hebrews 10:22)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Seek Him and Serve Him, Give Generously

When someone is selling 'gold' jewelry it is always important to make sure it is real gold. One way is to examine it for markings such as '14k' or '18k'. Another way is to put a few drops of a certain chemical on it to see if it changes color.

In Malachi 3:10 God calls on His people to 'examine' Him and see if His promised blessing is for real.




Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
(Malachi 3:10)

The Hebrew word translated "try" in the vers above is 'bachan', which means to 'search out', 'examine', or 'test' something for truthfulness, or genuineness.

God was calling on His people to bring the tenths (i.e., tithes) of their produce and herds into the storehouse of the temple as instructed in His law, and to check Him out, if you will, and watch Him pour out a blessing of superabundance.

While Christ and His apostles never promised us financial prosperity in exchange for giving generous, we do know that God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him and serve Him generously.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Trust the Lord, Fear the Lord, Honor the Lord

Sessions 21-22

Most of us know the importance of having mercy and of having truth.

Most of would like to have favor with God and with man.

Three Keys to having mercy and truth, and having favor with God and with man.

Trust in the Lord, Fear the Lord, and Honor the Lord.

It may sound simple and straightforward, but look at what King Solomon had to say about this.

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
(Proverbs 3:3-9)

Trusting the Lord means not leaning on your own understanding, and being willing to acknowledge Him and submit to Him in ALL areas of your life.

Fearing the Lord involves departing from ALL evil.

Honoring the Lord involves giving Him using ALL your possessions in the way that He wants you to, and giving to Him the first portion of your income and profits in life.

Wow!

A tall order and a total cost, but a tremendous blessing!!

Yours in Him,

Pastor B.
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY
Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
(Proverbs 3:9)

Make the kingdom of God your number one priority

Make the kingdom of God your number one priority.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

The kingdom of God is where God reigns. Those of us that have Christ reigning in our lives have been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, (Colossians 1:13)

God wants to establish His kingdom on earth. Adam and Eve failed. Israel failed.

And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." (Exodus 19:6)

But God continues to rule over the nations and excercise His sovereignty from His throne.

For the kingdom is the LORD's, And He rules over the nations.
(Psalms 22:28)

The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
(Psalms 103:19)

They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power, To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.
(Psalms 145:11-13)

But there is a future day when God will establish His throne (the throne of David) on this earth.

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
(Daniel 2:44)

The good news is that God is in control.

How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And His dominion is from generation to generation. . . . And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
(Daniel 4:3, 34-35)

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Happy Mother's Day to the Moms and Five Minutes Peace to All of You

There is a cute book called, "Five Minutes' Peace" by Jill Murphy that tells the story of a mother that just wants five minutes peace from her young demanding and often noisy children.

It's so right on with respect to the demands of motherhood, and I hope that all of you that are mothers have a great day tomorrow, and that you even get a rest and some peace from the day to day grind of motherhood. And for those of you that are not moms, I also hope you guys get some peace and some time to reflect on the goodness of God.

We are giving out a book to the ladies tomorrow at Calvary Chapel Space Coast that is called, Stones of Remembrance- A Rock-Hard Faith from Rock-Hard Places". It is the story of women of God that have chosen to walk in faith in the most difficult times.

What about you? Are you going through difficult times? Most of us would like a little less drama and a lot more down time. But the question is, are you walking out your faith in the hard times as well as the good times?

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
(Acts 14:22)

who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
(2 Corinthians 1:4)

We strengthen one another's souls by exhorting one another to walk out our faith in the midst of the hard times. Be of strong. Be of good courage. Wait on the Lord and He will strengthen your heart (Psalm 27:14). And while you're waiting, take some time to encourage a few of your brothers and sisters in Christ to walk out their faith. When the going gets tough, those grounded in Christ renew their determination to be faithful witnesses and servants of the one true God.

Yours in Him,

Pastor B.

Weaknesses and Weapons

We all have our weaknesses, but one thing you can be sure of. No matter what your weakness, God can do extraordinary things through you, and there is no weapon in heaven or earth that can successfully be used against you by your adversary. Do you understand what that means? Your adversary is helpless against you, because God is in you and because God is your strength where you are weak.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY- THURSDAY
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Christ is in you and the power of Christ rests upon you as you serve God in the Spirit. There is a heritage that can be claimed by ALL SERVANTS OF THE LORD, and that heritage is that no weapon formed against you will work. Satan and his demonic horde can muster tanks, land mines, and even nuclear missles, but none of them will work against you and keep you from your destiny in Christ.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY- FRIDAY
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the LORD.
(Isaiah 54:17)

The prophet Moses didn't think he was the man for the job because of he was not an eloquent speaker and had a speech impediment. The Lord told him that He would be his mouth and teach him what to speak (Ex.4:10-12). Isaiah didn't feel that he had it together good enough to be a prophet (Is. 6:5). Jeremiah didn't think that he mature enough (Jer 1:6). Yet God called all of these people and used them in a mighty way.

Has God called you to serve Him? Then rest assure He can use you to do extraordinary things, weaknesses and all!

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

The Day of the Lord is Coming!

The Day of Reckoning is Coming! It's a world wide 'come to Jesus' meeting. It is a day when the nations will be judged for their wickedness and their persectuion of God's people. It is what the prophets called "The Day of the Lord".

It is not the day when the Lord Jesus came as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. It is the day when the Lord Jesus comes as the Lion of Judah, the son of David.

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
(2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
(Revelation 19:11-16)

We all know John 3:16, but how about Joel 3:16?

The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. (Joel 3:16)

Who can you tell about the second coming of Jesus and the Day of the Lord?

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

What Does God Require?

What does God REQUIRE of us? Interesting question. Not what would He like of us, or what He would want for us, but what does He REQUIRE of us?

Moses recorded the following in the book of Deuteronomy-

"And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?
(Deu 10:12-13)

Wow! That sums it up, doesn't it? Some would have you think God doesn't require much, BUT . . . it's just the opposite. God requires EVERYTHING!

But that doesn't mean that the God following Christ following life is a complicated one with lots of rules. The prophet Micah put it this way-

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
(Mic 6:8)

The bottom line is that you and I have been purchased with the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28), all that we are and all that we have belongs to Him, and we are REQUIRED TO FAITHFULLY MANAGE WHAT IS HIS.

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
(1Co 4:2)

So how have you been doing in managing yourself and all that you have? Have you been managing it as if it belonged to Him? How faithful are we as stewards of what the blood of Christ has purchased?

Yours in Him,

Pastor B.

What Kind of Seed are YOU Sowing?

In Matthew 13 Jesus tells the parable of the sower that sows good seed in the ground, and the good seed is the Word of God.

Those that walk humbly with the Lord speak often of the wonderful works of God and the Word of God.

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
(Psa 34:1-3)

Do you sow the good seed of the word of God and of testimonies of the wondeful works of God?

Believe it or not, arrogance and pride is one of the greatest enemies of those that are busy sowing the seed of the Word of God. One of the reasons for this is that arrogance and pride are subtle, and the schemes of the devil are subtle.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE." Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (Jas 4:6-7)

Being a God-follower or Christ-follower is challenging, but not complicated. As the prophet Micah once said,

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" (Mic 6:8)

When we get puffed up and full of ourselves we tend to be judgmental and critical and see what is wrong with our brothers and sisters in Christ, rather than encourage them as they minister in the name of Jesus.

King Solomon once wrote,
"These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren."
(Pro 6:16-19)

May the Lord help us to actively sow good seed into those around us, and to encourage those others that are sowing good seed in the name of Jesus.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Heed the Lord- Dig the Ditches

If God tells you to dig a ditch, dig a ditch. Whether it makes sense to you or not. How often we likely miss out on God's magnificent demonstrations of His power when we fail to heed His word to us.

Tonight is our first night at our Port. St. John campus, and we are excited about what God is going to do. He told us to start a contemporary casual service on Saturday nights in PSJ, and we have obeyed. Tonight is just the beginning of some neat things God is going to do.

On Sunday mornings here at Calvary Chapel Space Coast Titusville campus we are going through 2 Kings, and have seen how God sometimes calls us on us to do strange things in order to demonstrate His power.

The Israelite army is facing the army of Moab and God tells them through the prophet Elisha to dig ditches!

And he said, "Thus says the LORD: 'Make this valley full of ditches.' For thus says the LORD: 'You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.' And this is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
(2Ki 3:16-18)

What's really strange, is that even though God says He will miraculously provide water for them if they dig the ditches He doesn't really tell them what this has to do with winning a victory against the Moabite army.

You'll have to read the rest of 2 Kings chapter 3 for yourself if you want to see what God had cooking. What I WILL tell you is that God showed up big, and the Israelites came out on top BIG.

As we go through our survey of the whole Bible in six weeks during our daily abide in His word teaching (abideinhisword.com) it reminds me of how often God asks His children to trust Him and how He demonstrates His love and power to deliver in some pretty amazing ways.

God can work in the midst of the ordinary, but He takes great delight in working in the midst of the out-of-the-ordinary so that man doesn't think his victories are through his own wisdom or might.

Not by power, not by might, but by My Spirit says the Lord.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Praying for You

I included today's scripture in yesterday's devotion. I thought I'd put the time I usually spend writing your daily devotion into praying for you today. I'm praying for all of you that read this daily devotion, and praying for all those that will be reading it because you care enough to pass it on to others.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you, and may He give you peace. In the sweet, sweet, name of Jesus.

(1Pe 4:7) But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "LOVE WILL COVER A MULTITUDE OF SINS." Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
(1Pe 4:7-11)

Each of you reading this has at least one special gift from God that He gave you when you received the Holy Spirit. Minister to others with the abilities and giftings God has given you and bring a smile upon the face of Jesus and glorify your God.

You are loved. Be blessed, and be a blessing,
Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Wednesday-Thursday-Friday

Wednesday-Thursday-Friday

This has been a hard week. My good friend and brother in the Lord Joe Wlasiuk (pronounced 'la-sook') passed away and went on to be with the Lord early in the week. We held a memorial service for him at our Calvary Chapel Space Coast Titusville campus yesterday prior to our evening service. I had the privilege of singing some worship music for Joe with his wife Gloria, his daughter Lynn, and his granddaughter Natasha shortly before his passing. Joe couldn't speak but would raise both his hands off and on as we sang of our wonderful God and what Christ has accomplished for us. Joe finished the race well.


What about you? How are you doing these days?


My apologies for not getting a devotional out and posted yesterday. I thought I'd pass on to you the scriptures for Wednesday-Thursday-Friday.


Wednesday Scripture:

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king."
(1 Samuel 15:23)

Thursday Scripture:


Do all things without complaining and disputing,
(Philippians 2:14)

Friday Scripture:
He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
(Psalms 107:20)

God can heal us and God can deliver us, and His Word is key to His working in us.

For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons—Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
(Psalms 107:9-15)

What chains do you need God to break?
Start by giving thanks to the Lord and sharing with others around you the wondeful works of God! Then watch the flood of His mercy and grace rise to bless you.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Blessing in the Midst of the Storm

Most storms last longer than we prefer. But our Heavenly Father is leading us to the place where we can have peace, contentment, and even joy, whether the sun is shining or the storm is raging. He is calling us to be free of fear; calling us to trust Him more and experience His calm within the storm. (S. Troxel)

Roy Coy in one of his daily devotions said that he read a story about an old gentlemen that was known for his godly life. One day, someone asked him, "What do you do when you are tempted, old man?" He replied, "I just look up to heaven and say, 'Lord, your property is in danger.' "

Believe it or not, one of the keys to deliverance from fear and worry in the midst of life's storms is to praise God.

Are you willing to bless the Lord in the midst of life's storms? King David said that he blessed the Lord at all times in all situations through all of life's circumstances.

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
(Psalms 34:1-4)

God delivers us from our fears and worries through the praise and worship!

TUESDAY SCRIPTURE:

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
(Psalms 34:1)

What often prevents us from praising God in all situations is our own stubbornness, and God warns us that stubbornness is a hardening of our hearts toward God, and therefore like going out and worshipping other gods.

WEDNESDAY SCRIPTURE:
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king."
(1 Samuel 15:23)

Don't allow your heart to be hardened toward God. Lift up your voice and praise the Lord in the midst of the dark days as well as the sunny days. You will bless others as you do so, and you will be delivered from your fears.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Think on it and Speak on it

Think on God's Word and Speak God's Word. Can you imagine what a change there would be in the air waves of our planet if all of God's children would suddenly put that into practice?

How many words do you think you speak in one day?

Studies vary, but indicate that people tend to speak at least several thousand words a day.

If you just spoke God's Word or testimonies about God 10% of the time, that would be about a thousand words a day. Today's scripture is thirteen words. That means if you spoke the Word of God 10% of the time in your speaking that you could quote it 75 different times! Can you imagine how much scripture would get quoted if the 2 billion professing Christians of the world would do this?

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:

I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds. (Psalms 77:12)

Think about the good things God has done for His people throughout the ages, and the good things that God has done for you throughout your life.

THEN TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT! God has called you to be His witness! Whether you realize it or not, God is on trial by the world, being accused of not existing, not caring, and not loving. You and I have been called to the stand of life to testify for Him.

Hope you're following with us as we go through the Bible in six weeks! You can go to Abideinhisword.com for the podcasts, previous broadcasts, and such, and you can write me for the charts if you're interested.

Remember to pass this devotion on to as many people as you know. This will get the word out, and also offer people a way to go through their Bible to get an overview. If we work together we can be an even more effective witness for God, and do an even better job of getting the Word Out!

Yours in Him,

Pastor B.

Submission and Speak-ission

Friday-Saturday




SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
(Titus 3:1-2)

Two of what are probably the most difficult challenges for us as Christ followers is the command to willingly and quietly submit to those in authority over us, and the command to not speak evil of ANYONE.

What? You're kidding me, right? What could God possibly be thinking? Aren't there many people in authority that abuse their positions? Aren't there many in government that oppress the people? Aren't there many leaders that act like little Napoleons?

Aren't there many rules that don't make sense? Aren't there many laws and policies that aren't fair?

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— (1 Peter 2:13-15)

Submit to EVERY Ordinance? Why all the talk about being peaceable? gentle? humility?

Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. (Titus 3:1-8)

God assures us that however difficult the way is that He is asking us to walk, it is good and beneficial to us to walk it. BE CAREFUL TO DO WHAT GOD SAYS TO DO.

So let's post the scriptures, put them in our cars, work places, homes, and churches, to remind us of how we are to conduct ourselves, and let's humble ourselves enough to admit we can't do it in our own power, (some of us may even need to admit we don't want to do it), and let's ask God to enable us through the power of the Holy Spirit to conduct ourselves with Christ like grace, and be careful to be good witnesses.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.

Meditate on His Word

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
(Deuteronomy 6:5-9)

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
(Joshua 1:8-9)

Joshua 1:8 is a good scripture to post on your sticky notes or index cards. It, together with Deuteronomy 6:7, is a challenge to all of us to think on the Word of God throughout the day, and speak the Word of God throughout the day.

Not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it is the answer to our weaknesses, fears, discouragement, and lack of success in those areas most important to our life.

So be strong (not weak) and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed.

No wonder Jesus said that if we abide in His Word that we are His disciples, indeed! His Word is the key to loving God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.