Troy A. Brewer's Blog, page 253

DO YOU FEAR THE UNKNOWN?

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

You are a gifted learner in the Spirit; you have a taste for the best part of the Kingdom of heaven, which is the heart of the Lord. He calls you His!

AN ACQUIRED TASTE

Scripture doesn’t say, “Oh, smell and see that the Lord is good.” The aroma of something is supposed to be a mouthwatering invitation to take a big bite. 

Just like that, revelation is a green light to experience God in the way He is being revealed to you. You have to be willing to go forward into experience and that requires trust.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in him! – Psalms 34:8

Tasting is all about personal experience and trusting is all about believing you will not get into trouble for biting in. We must be willing to smell the savor of things not yet experienced in Christ, then fight for it!

When we forget we are supposed to look forward, we settle for what others have experienced, trusting their tastebuds instead of the Lord Himself. When we are not savoring what can be, we settle for the documented palate of the past.

Take the woman who crawled on her knees to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment hoping for healing. There was no historical reference for her to follow or go by. That is courage! It is also desperation and because she risked it all hoping for an upgrade, she experienced God in a way nobody else had. He even called her “daughter” – the only person recorded in the Bible to hear those words.

This was a woman of faith. Real faith. When we don’t find Jesus in new ways, we settle for what is written about Him. Our faith becomes really safe and not authentic — pseudo faith that requires little to no personal experience or encounter. 

We become Bible thumpers instead of heart listeners. We learn the culture of our denomination, instead of the ways of God. We make the mistake of having a relationship with church, rather than a relationship with Jesus. 

THAT’S NOT YOU!

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO FIGHT THROUGH THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN. FIGHT FOR THE HEART OF THE KING AND THE NEXT LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING AND RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. 

FROM MY BOOK LIVING LIFE FORWARD

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WHAT PICTURE ARE YOU PAINTING?

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

Without a doubt there are two times in your life when God is smiling.  First, is when you were born and second, when you were re-born.  As a parent, those are two meaningful times that make you smile as well. Your mornings will begin better because you will awake in the mornings looking at the “goodness” portrait of Jesus.  It is the birth of a new day … every day!

UNFINISHED WORKS OF ART

Did you know that Leonardo Da Vinci never finished the Mona Lisa? Did you know that he painted two of them? Do a Google search on the second Mona Lisa and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Unfortunately, I think our portrait of Jesus might look more like the Mona Lisa than anything else because we are not really sure if God actually smiles. It is absolutely evident to me, and anybody with a third grade education, that the church as a whole has not been totally convinced of God’s goodness. Because of that, the church has not been known for being life-giving.

Many people throughout my life and ministry have told me they consider the church to be a lot of folks wearing frowns of disapproval. We’ve all seen them. Has your kid ever thrown a fit during church? Frowns. Have you even worn less than your Sunday best? Frowns. Struggled with an addiction, sickness or had a financial hardship? More frowns. 

The church has been known for judging people who are not just like them for far too long. Let’s change that!

We need to paint pictures of God’s goodness through our goodness. The Bible tells us in Ephesians that we’re supposed to be imitators of God. It also tells us that God is love, so we should look like love! When we don’t, people like Billy Joel write songs about us that reflect poorly on God.

“I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, 

The sinners are much more fun.

You know that only the good die young.”

God doesn’t laugh? He spends His time crying and being a killjoy? Who told Billy Joel that?

We did. 

As the church, we have a lot of work to do. We need to finish the painting of God’s goodness. It’s OK to put a smile on the face of Jesus because He really is good!

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT GOD AND THE CHURCH. PAINT A PORTRAIT OF HIS GOODNESS THROUGH YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS. 

FROM MY BOOK GOOD OVERCOMES EVIL

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GOD HELPS THE HURTING

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

God is telling us to go into all the worlds and be not ashamed of the gospel. Live your life according to the Scripture. When we see all the hurting in the land don’t be afraid, God’s will is to be done. He is telling us to be up and about the Jesus business. Jesus business is all about the unsaved without a Heavenly Father. Tell them Jesus loves them unconditionally and will forgive their sins, and they will always be in God’s family.

GOD HELPS THE HURTING

On a recent trip to Africa, I had a mission on my mission trip.

At 36,000 feet on a very long flight, I was trying to keep my mind occupied when the Lord stepped in and gave me three God-thoughts, or Holy Ghost flashcards if you will. They went like this:

Boom! Little boy, orphaned, unloved, dejected.

Boom! Under a tree, crying, sad, helpless.

Boom! Broken arm, pain, ongoing anxiety.

Right away, I knew God had spoken to me, so I told Leanna we were going to be on the lookout for an orphan boy under a tree with a broken arm. “We are going to help him,” I told her.

Now, words cannot describe the welcome we get when we arrive at one of our orphanages. It’s a celebration that I imagine is something like your first day in Heaven. You walk through a tunnel of people all smiling and wanting to shake your hand. The music is blaring, there are people dancing and celebrating. I never get tired of it.

On this trip, we were engulfed in the celebration when I looked over the heads my beloved Ugandan munchkins and there he was! The boy God had told me about. He was standing naked under a tree, crying and holding his arm.

“There he is,” I shouted at Leanna. Now my wife has a real way with children. It’s something you have to see to understand. The minute she saw him, she abandoned the celebration and was holding him in her arms. He was terrified because she was the first white person he’d ever seen, but that didn’t last long as her words and gestures soothed him.

It was just like God had said. I knew we had been sent there just for him because God sees the evil that is done to the orphaned. You know, we were all once orphaned, stumbling around in pain, unloved and lonely. Then Father God sent Jesus to round us up and make us part of the family. 

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO BRING ONE OF THIS WORLD’S ORPHANS INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD! BROTHER JESUS PAID THE PRICE, SO GRAB SOMEONE’S HAND AND TELL THEM ABOUT THE LOVE OF THE FATHER!

FROM MY BOOK GOOD OVERCOMES EVIL

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PREPARE TO BE BLESSED

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

Life has many turns and twists, but with them all I still know is this…If God’s eyes are on the birds of the field, He will provide all your needs. Prepare to be blessed.

WHO TOLD YOU LIFE IS FAIR?

Years ago when were were first married, Leanna and I were too poor to afford a movie, so our entertainment was driving through the swanky neighborhoods in Colleyville, Texas. 

Looking at the mansions, we would imagine what was behind the doors and dream of having a nice, big house someday. Our own house, used to store hay for 20 years before cleaned it out and moved in, didn’t have glass in some of the windows. We couldn’t afford it and I didn’t know how to fix it even if we did have the money.

We loved driving down the tree-lined streets ooh-ing and aah-ing at the multiple rows of million-dollar homes. For us, it was cheap entertainment and we needed all that we could get!

One day, we were with a bandmate of mine, and we had time to kill before a gig. With nothing better to do, I asked him if he wanted to check out the mansions with us. His answer surprised me.

“I can’t go look at those houses because it makes me sad,” he said.

Puzzled, I asked this 40-year-old man why looking at nice houses made him sad. His answer now astounded me.

“Because it’s not fair.”

God help us! What kind of socialist thinking had crawled up from the depths of hell and wrapped itself around his head? Let’s get honest here – a godly person should never get sad, angry or jealous when someone else prospers. There is no place for envy in the church!

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. – Romans 12:15

The question is, who told him life is fair? It sure wasn’t Jesus.

I got into a fight with my friend that day. I was young and didn’t know how to handle myself, but I did know this: in all the times we had driven through those ritzy neighborhoods, it had not occurred to me, not even once, to hate the people who had nice things, or even to want those things. They didn’t belong to me.

I have a saying, “You may see their glory, but you don’t know their story.”

You see, many of those homes were owned by doctors and surgeons. I pointed out to my friend that if he wanted a house like that, all he had to do was dedicate years and years of his life to the relentless pursuit of being a surgical specialist, then sacrifice more years to paying off the monstrous debt accumulated during that pursuit. After that, he could buy a big house and make those payments, pay those taxes and be sure to get a good security system, because it might make someone else sad.

There is no way you can be happy, or have actual joy in your life, if you subscribe to the thinking pattern of “NO FAIR!” Jesus never sinned, but He took our wrongdoing upon Himself and died to give us life. Now that’s not fair – it’s sacrifice.

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO CHOOSE JOY OVER ENVY. IF YOU SUFFER FROM THE CANCEROUS THINKING OF ‘NO FAIR,” ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TAKE IT FROM YOU AND REFUSE TO PICK IT BACK UP!

FROM MY BOOK SOUL INVASION

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OPEN YOUR EYES

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

I have created you with a special purpose. No one can be a better at what I have for you than you. I will put desires in your heart and you are to search them out. Use your gifts for My Kingdom. 

OPEN YOUR EYES

God does not hide things from us. He hides things for us. But if you fold your arms and say, “Pastor Troy, if God’s not going to just tell me, I’m not seeking,” you’re going to have problems. Need an example?

God caused human beings to want gold. Gold is a yellow rock. Yet, God Almighty hid the yellow rock inside other rocks. The only way you can find it is to bust up some rocks. That’s the Kingdom. 

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing but the honor of kings to search out the matter. –  Proverbs 25:2

You are beginning to step into majesty when you search and pursue, when you go after things. God doesn’t see you as a loser. He sees you as a King, so He expects you to go after things. He will use your individual gifts and talents for His Kingdom and your destiny.

Say you have a talent for music and playing instruments. God may lead you toward leading worship. You may have a love for children. The nursery at your church may benefit from your skills. What is it your heart wants? Chase that dream. 

Once you begin to seek your part in the Kingdom, God will reveal tid-bits to advance your search. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 14:1 says to “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” 

You have to go after it. This is the New Testament where you desire and pursue. You need to pay attention to what your desires, or your want-life, is all about. Be careful that you don’t get fascinated with somebody else’s something. God has enough and a plan just for you, so search it out. It’s so worth it!

FROM MY SERMON SERIES PRAY FOR RAIN – REVIVAL

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HEALING IS FOR YOU

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

God wants you to worship Him in spirit and in truth. He inhabits the praises of His people. He wants you to trust in His goodness and take Him at His word. Healing is for you my friend—on earth as it is in Heaven.

A REAL EYE-OPENER

Let me tell you about the most incredible healing miracle I have ever personally witnessed.

One of the greatest doors God has opened for me is the ability to serve in the south Texas town of Brownsville. It’s as far south as you can get while still being in the United States.

Brownsville is an extreme place, like most border towns. I love places like this because that’s where God can do radical things. This night, He took us across the border to the city of Matamoros and into a tiny church. The people seemed to be sizing us gringos up. They looked suspicious until the Holy Spirit began to move though the praise music we were playing.

During the second song, people started to stand up and praise in Spanish. People were crying, shaking and lifting their hands to God in surrender. The sermon went out the window and it was just a radical time of praise and brokenness before the Lord. Many were shouting at the top of their lungs and God began to do his thing. 

I had never been to church like this before. I couldn’t understand what they were saying to the pastor as he moved the room. Finally, he took the microphone and began to tell of people who had been cured of sickness and disease as they praised. The room was going nuts. Then, as an old woman walked up to the microphone, the crowd became suddenly quiet.

She had gone to this church since she was a child. She lost her eyesight at a teenager due to undiagnosed diabetes. She had been blind for several decades. Then, as the second song played, she said the Holy Spirit came upon her in an unusual way. She began to see a vision, then realized it wasn’t a vision at all. She could see!

“Now, you know me and you know that I am blind,” she said. Then, with God as my witness, she began pointing to people in the crowd. “If I am blind, how can I see you? And you. And you…”

We literally saw blind eyes opened through praise and worship! None of us preached, called down healing or laid a hand on her. No man can take credit for what God had done. Sometimes a special move of God isn’t taught, it’s caught!

Since then, there have been dark times in my walk where I’ve been tempted to doubt God’s healing power. Every time I do, I think back to that night in Matamoros when a woman was healed of blindness by God Himself. 

I wonder how many times the devil tried to stop her from going to the church that night. How many times did he tempt her to stay home or leave after finding out a gringo was preaching? If she had played any one of those cards, she would still be blind today. Instead, she was in the house of God and expectant that something was going to happen. That day, it did. 

What about you?  

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO BELIEVE IN THE MIRACLE OF HEALING. IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO DESPERATELY NEEDS A MIRACLE, KNOW THAT JESUS IS REAL AND EXPECT HIM TO SHOW UP!

FROM MY BOOK MIRACLES WITH A MESSAGE

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ARE YOU GRABBING HOLD OF GOD THINGS?

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

If you look inside yourself you will see that there are some good things that need to go in order to do the “best” things. Choose what is better and sit at Jesus’ feet like Mary, the sister of Lazarus, soaking in His presence. When you do, you will know those things that are just “good” and those things that are “best” for His Kingdom!

GREATNESS NINJA

Let’s talk about things worth fighting for. While there are plenty of good things in this life, not everything is of God. People confuse the two and Satan loves that. If he can keep you busy doing good things, you lose focus of what God wants you to do for the Kingdom.

That is, fight for knowing Him better and finding His perfect purpose for your life.

Is it good to help with the PTA at your child’s school or coach their soccer team? Yes, but if God’s not in it, limit your time there. Is it good to put in extra hours at the office, work out, hang out with friends, keep an immaculate house, cook gourmet meals or watch hours of Fox News then debate issues on Facebook and Twitter? Yes, but unless it’s helping you with your walk, it’s not the BEST. 

Here’s what’s real, a lot of the things many churches do are good, but they have little to do with God, so why are we doing them?

Mary, sister of Lazarus, knew what was best. She was sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him teach while her sister, Mary, got caught up in cleaning, cooking and setting up for the meal. While Martha was pouring drinks, Mary was drinking the King of Kings in.

“She (Martha) 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 only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” -Luke 10:40-42

I love Mary. She’s a greatness ninja! 

Anyone who hangs out with Jesus, no matter what kind of history they have, begins to contemplate their own untapped ninja-ness. After a while in His presence, you become willing to fight for it just like Mary and the disciples did. The Bible says there was much “strife among them” arguing over who was His favorite. They all wanted to sit at His right hand side in Heaven. 

I’m sure Mary will be there. What about you? Are you Jesus’ favorite? Know this — you are! 

TODAY IS A GREAT DAY TO THANK JESUS THAT NO ONE IS LIKE YOU — NO ONE!  BE BOLD AND REACH FOR THE GREATNESS HE IS CALLING YOU TOWARD.  FIGHT FOR IT! GIVE IT YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION BY LETTING GO OF “GOOD THINGS” AND GRABBING HOLD OF GOD THINGS.

FROM MY BOOK LIVING LIFE FORWARD

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Episode 5 – Epic Storytelling

Telling the right version of your story.

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“O taste and see that the LORD is good…”

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

God wants you to taste and experience Him in a new way. As you taste His goodness, you will crush the head of the enemy as God’s presence envelopes you.

EXPERIENCING GOODNESS AND HIS PRESENCE

There is something miraculous that happens in the mess of this life. Through all the hurt, through all the discomfort and the ongoing, unfinished business of dreams yet unfulfilled, you will personally experience God’s presence. 

It’s not something you read about, hope for or hear about in church. You actually experience His goodness. I can tell you this – it’s tangible!

Check out this amazing scripture:

O taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! – Psalms 34:8

You see, when evil comes against us and we have to take refuge, the blessing is that we taste the goodness of God. This is not naturally speaking. It is practically speaking. Our ability to know and experience Jesus just got a major upgrade!

Tasting is all about supernatural, personal experience and unique encounter.

Tasters are people who first note the circumstances in which God turned up in the battle and they appreciate it. Tasters learn to set environments and make a big deal out of setting them. They like the romance and intimacy of a personal experience with the Lord.

In the natural, our tastebuds detect sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Each of these has a spiritual counterpart.

Sweet: It’s the part of the Holy Spirit we really appreciate and hope for. They are pleasing to all.

Sour: Represents strong experiences that are not easy to take or digest. You have to develop a taste for sour.

Salty: This is all about enhancement of flavor. It intensifies personal encounters with God and actually leaves you thirsty for more of His goodness.

Bitter: Is a legitimate part of our experience with God. We don’t like it, but it is necessary to our development.

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO TASTE THE GOODNESS OF GOD. PERSONALLY EXPERIENCE HIM BY BITING INTO A MESS. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE POWER TO CHEW THE DEVIL UP AND SPIT HIM OUT! 

FROM MY BOOK GOOD OVERCOMES EVIL

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FEAR NOT!

TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT

Your future is much greater than your history and it is leading to your destiny. God’s plans for you are good; to prosper you and not harm you. His plans are to give you hope and a future. You are positioning yourself under the windows of heaven and can expect to receive.

THE FIGHT FOR WHAT CAN BE

One thing you must learn on your quest for upgrade, is to trust in the heart of God and in the power of His grace. Why? Because He is not prepared to punish you for mistakes made in your attempts to move forward and receive your upgrade. Anyone who tells you different, doesn’t know God’s goodness!

You see, Father God doesn’t punish you when you mess up. Instead, He does what any good father does – He picks you up! God is passionate about your progression. He has a much higher value for your personal growth than for your punishment.

“I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for My anger is turned away from Israel.” – Hosea 14:4

Since He made you to be a warrior, He knows that if you don’t fight for upgrade, you will fight for things that don’t matter. He says to you the same thing He said to Joshua three different times as He was commanding him to move forward into the Promised Land.

“FEAR NOT!”

When you are afraid to move from where you are, you will settle for something that once was, rather than what could be. The fight for what once was (the past) is a battle for what is irrelevant and insignificant. It is the wrong fight to be in! I like to call that the “Dragon of Religion.”

You see, religion likes to call whatever used to be a long time ago “godliness.”  Not sure what I’m talking about? Think, “This is the way we’ve always done it.” Or, “God doesn’t work that way anymore.”

When you keep your head stuck in the sands of the past, you will never move forward. 

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO LET GO OF YOUR PAST AND DETERMINE TO MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS! HE WON’T PUNISH YOU IF YOU MESS UP. HE’LL PICK YOU UP AND SAY, “SIC ‘EM!”

FROM MY BOOK LIVING LIFE FORWARD

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