Troy A. Brewer's Blog, page 310
December 15, 2017
THE FAMILY BUSINESS
I am taking you into new places where even those you might not like will hear how good I am from your own lips. I am putting a burning fire within you to tell others of My goodness. It’s time to go!
THE FAMILY BUSINESS
I refuse to be the prophet of hell, bringing bad news to the unsaved. The church is not in the angel of death business. We’re in the blood of the Lamb business because that’s the family business, and business is good!
And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
– Luke 2:49
God is not indifferent. God loves people. He is not mad at anybody. Nobody.
“Well, I’m mad at everybody, so God has to be mad at everybody.”
God is not created in your image! The Bible says Jesus Christ reconciled the world unto the Father at the cross. The word “reconciliation” means the removal of all hostility. At the cross of Jesus, God put everything He’s mad at us about on Jesus.
Does this mean the world is saved? No. It means the world can now approach the Father for redemption. The upgrade of reconciliation is redemption.
How can you say, “Run to the Father because, by the way, He’s going to squash you and bring judgment because He’s so mad He might run over you with a tornado”?
You don’t! The message should be clear. Because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, nobody has to be afraid to run to the Father for redemption. Don’t get in the way of that because you dislike or disagree with someone. God loves them as much as He loves you. He’s infinite. You have all of Him, and they need all of Him!
Today is a good day to be in the family business. Spread the Good News to the lost – even to your enemies – and watch reconciliation in action.
From my sermon series LORD OF THE HARVEST
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December 14, 2017
TRADING PLACES
I am enough for you. When you feel alone, look to Me. I am your Maker and Redeemer. I will trade your loneliness for exclusiveness and make you whole.
TRADING PLACES
I want to tell you that Christmas is not always a jolly time of year. There are many people dealing with loss in some way or another that find Christmas downright painful.
For those with a job loss, they may not be able to afford gifts. Those going through divorce may not get to see their kids. Those who’ve lost a loved one find Christmas especially lonely. Grief is a reality no matter what time of year.
Take Mary and Martha for example. The sisters of Lazarus, who has been dead four days, sent for Jesus to heal their brother, but Jesus waited until His friend was rotting in a tomb before He made His entrance.
And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. – John 11:18-20
For Martha and Mary, this is unusual character. They act different in John 11 than they do anywhere else in the Bible.
Mary is always the first one there, chasing after Jesus, basking in His presence and this time she is paralyzed. She doesn’t want to move. She is so broken-hearted, she just can’t run to Jesus. I tell you what, I’ve been there. I’ve been in that place where I’ve been so broken, I didn’t want to move.
Then, there is Martha, who jumps up and goes to meet Jesus while Mary stays home. There is something stirring in Martha’s spirit that I don’t know has ever stirred before – something really, really cool. She runs out and the first thing she does is tell Jesus what she’s thinking.
Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died…” – John 11:21
Now, I’ve heard preachers say Martha was chastising Jesus and blaming Him. This would be classic Martha, but I don’t think so. The second thing she says tells me this is her big revelation moment – her breakthrough.
Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” – John 11:22
Martha, who is known for being more functional than relational, is basking in His power and promise. Martha’s faith takes a giant leap here and so should yours! What are the wind and waves compared to the one who calms them? What is death compared to the one who crushed it under His heel?
Like Martha, you know Jesus. You know your loss is only temporary. Run to Jesus. Don’t let your grief and pain paralyze you. Let your relationship with the Redeemer encourage you.
From my sermon series EXODUS
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December 13, 2017
HIDE AND SEEK
Seek and you shall find Me. My face is always shining upon you. It makes me so happy when you feel My presence and turn back to me. You have all my attention and all my affection. I am limitless.
HIDE AND SEEK
How Jesus Christ is revealed to us is not through an image. Jesus reveals Himself to us through the Ta-Da!
It’s the moment where the lightbulb goes on, the bombshell drops or the lightning bolt strikes. It’s during that moment of clarity that Jesus shows up and get this – it’s always personal. Always.
So here’s the deal. Are ya’ll ready for something that should make you just plain jealous? There is a way that Jesus has shown up to me that He probably won’t ever show up to you.
What? Before you get your big boy or girl pants in a knot, I’m also going to tell you this: I’m jealous of you. Why? Because there is a way Jesus has shown up to you that He probably won’t ever show up to me.
Jesus, like His encounters, is so personal. When we worship an image of Jesus, we miss out on the personal part of it. That’s when we start to make idols that resemble Jesus, instead of encountering Him in new and amazing ways.
See, everything in the Kingdom is relational before it is functional. If it’s not relational, it is simply dysfunctional. That’s why the face of Jesus in the New Testament is not revealed through a stone statue or painted picture, but through His heart.
Your Jesus encounters are not going to be anything like mine. How Jesus shows up to you is not how He reveals Himself to me because He knows how you need to see Him, and How I need to experience Him. He’s out for maximum impact and to do that, Jesus get’s personal. He puts His whole heart into it.
Have you seen Him lately? Do you need a personal encounter with your king, burden-bearer, big brother or God Himself? Seek His face. You’ll find His heart.
Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. – 1 Chronicles 16:11
From my sermon series JESUS UNVEILED
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December 12, 2017
UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY
Today is the day to be unified! Stop just surviving.Thrive when you become unified by the heart of God. You can’t go wrong when you follow love.
UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY
I’m a sixth-generation Texan, and every Texan knows the Comanche Indians were in this part of the world for a very long time – about 4,000 years before any Europeans showed up.
They were systematically wiped out from one end of the country to the other. Why? Because the Europeans showed up? No. That was not the problem, but the result of the problem.
The Comanche, along with many other native tribes, were wiped out because they were never unified – never.
The American Indians were good people – smart, caring, talented, but we don’t know anything about them because nobody ever bothered to form a written language. For 4,000 years, nobody ever thought beyond their own generation. Why?
They were too busy fighting each other. They didn’t advance.
They never were unified or fought in a selfless way that unified the generation behind them. They were only about today’s survival and survival will kill you. Let me say that again – survival mode will kill you. They had good people among them, but every tribe prided itself on killing the other.
Just like the Body of Christ.
Sister Suzie Rottenheart and her pack of wolves gossiping about the preacher and his wife. They complain about the worship and the color of the carpet. They blast the church down the street on Facebook because they sprinkle instead of dunk. They take selfies as they picket the abortion clinic, threatening and shaming the lost girls looking for help – any help. They are the only people who are right and everyone else is wrong.
The Europeans are here. They are us. But hear me when I tell you this: Not in this house! Not in this tribe!
The devil is our enemy. Not each other. You can rail against the spirit of religion all you want. Just don’t give it a name like “First Church of the Seventh Day Baptist Brethren of Christ.” Hate religion, not the church.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement, give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus. – Romans 15:5
United, the church becomes a conduit for the Holy Spirit to bring heaven to earth. We’re a conduit for good works, healing, miracles, signs and wonders. Know your enemy. The church ain’t it!
From my sermon series I LOVE MY TRIBE
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December 11, 2017
THE PICTURE OF PARTNERSHIP
Take My hand. Let’s walk and dream together. Tell Me the desires of your heart, and I will tell you Mine. You will find freedom in My heart for you.
THE PICTURE OF PARTNERSHIP
While God may be the sovereign creator of the universe and doesn’t need to consult us about anything, He loves to surprise us by partnering with us to do amazing things.
Check this out. In 2 Samuel chapter 7, Kind David had it in his heart to build God a Temple. God said that it wasn’t His idea, but tells David, “You’re my idea.” So, He let David draw up the plans and Solomon carried them out. Then He formed the entire Jewish society around where the temple was.
That wasn’t God’s idea. It was David’s. That’s a picture of partnership!
In Numbers 14:11-19, God was talking to Moses and God was really mad. He said He was done with these people and He was going to wipe them out and start a whole nation out of Moses. Moses told God it wasn’t a good idea because the Egyptians would hear about Him killing the people He freed from bondage. They would talk bad about Him, and both God and Moses would get a bad rep. God agreed.
What?!? You can partner with God and God can change His mind? Yes! If you’re in right relationship with Him, He will literally change the course of history for you. That’s powerful.
While God is sovereign and in total control of the universe, He has given dominion of this world to us. We decide how much of heaven invades earth. It’s amazing, but Jesus is trusting us with that!
We can stand in the gap and be intercessors! If we humble ourselves, pray and confess our sins, the Bible says He will hear us and heal whatever mess we’re bringing before Him. So what or who are you bringing before Him? Change the course of history for someone who is lost by bringing them before the Lord today!
We work together with God. So we are asking you not to receive God’s grace and then do nothing with it. – 2 Corinthians 6
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO PARTNER WITH JESUS FOR THE REDEMPTION OF MANY. HE IS THE GOD WHO ANSWERS PRAYERS!
From my sermon series MILK AND HONEY
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SYMPATHY VS. EMPATHY
I am right by your side where I see and feel your pain. Don’t harden your heart against it. As you go through it, you will have a heart to help others experiencing the same thing.
SYMPATHY VS. EMPATHY
There’s a real lack of empathy in the Body of Christ. There’s plenty of sympathy, but empathy is in short supply these days.
Sympathy and empathy are two different things from two different places. Empathy is when we say, “I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been there myself.” Jesus has empathy, not sympathy, for you because He’s been through everything you have and more. Empathy is a Kingdom thing.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin. – Hebrews 4:15
Sympathy, however, is when we say, “That’s too bad. I feel terrible for you!” It’s the product of a religious spirit that says, “They just need to work that out with the Lord. They likely deserve what they’re getting. If it’s God’s will, it will work out.”
Now sympathy is the product of a religious spirit. Like the high priest Gamaliel in Jesus’ day, we say, “If it’s of God, it will prosper. If it’s not, it will go away on it’s own.” While that sounds wise, it’s actually very foolish in God’s eyes.
That response says, “I’m unconcerned about your need and won’t take any responsibility for helping you.” It’s the equivalent of Pontius Pilate not finding any fault with Jesus, yet washing his hands of responsibility for the obvious blood about to be spilled.
God wants a harvest out of us. Sympathy and saying, “If it’s God’s will…” won’t pull anyone out of satan’s clutches. God loves empathy because it fuels action, commitment and responsibility. Are you ready to plant and water seeds? Jesus is ready for the harvest.
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO RESCUE A POW FROM SATAN’S GRIP. DON’T JUST SAY YOU’LL PRAY. PRAY AND TESTIFY TO HIS GOODNESS.
From my sermon series LORD OF THE HARVEST
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December 9, 2017
BAD NEWS BETTY MEETS NEGATIVE NANCY
I will never leave you nor forsake you, even when your situation seems grim. Look for me in the storm. Am I not the one who calms the waves? I will calm your troubled heart.
BAD NEWS BETTY MEETS NEGATIVE NANCY
Whether it’s an obituary, tax bill, divorce papers, doctor’s report or your child’s report card, we’ve all gotten bad news. Let me tell you, there is a right way and a wrong way to deal with negative reports.
Let’s take a look at the wrong way as Jesus tells the disciples, “I’ve got some bad news for you guys. Lazarus is sleeping.”
The disciples must be in a really bad mood and one of them says, “Well, at least somebody gets to sleep.” Read it! You need to read it! He says, “Well, if he gets to sleep then he does well.” What that means is, “At least somebody around here gets to sleep. Praise God, because we sure don’t.”
That’s when Jesus quits being nice and just comes right out with it. “No, Lazarus is dead. And you know that God’s going to do something awesome so we’re going to go there.”
Then Thomas says, “Oh great, let’s all go where Lazarus was because whatever plague killed him is liable to kill us, too. That’s a great idea.” Read it! He says, “Yeah, let’s go there too so we can all die.” Now it’s a party. Read it! So, Jesus is just like, “I’m surrounded by idiots. Lets just go.”
The disciples just don’t get it. I’m sure Jesus is really excited about what’s going to happen, but they can’t see past their own shock, grief and ruined plans. They are focused on the negative.
They were not looking for a miracle and they were living night and day with the Miracle Worker Himself! Not one of them was looking for beauty in the midst of ashes, let alone a flat out miracle. As followers of Christ, they were either dense or faithless – a lot like you and I.
Are you focusing on the negative? Did you look for the beauty God promised instead of the ashes life delivered? Have faith. Have hope. Your God is the God of resurrection and life. Look for Him to show up in the midst of the mess.
Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” – John 11:14
From my sermon series EXODUS
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December 8, 2017
IN A MIRROR DIMLY
I have torn the veil to give you access to My Presence. Do not look for me in a sermon. Look for me in Goodness. I Am Good and you will find Me when you seek Me there.
IN A MIRROR DIMLY
There are a lot of mysteries in the Kingdom, but who Jesus is to you and who you are to King Jesus, should not be one of those mysteries. That should be an ongoing dialogue that you and I have with God – a constant conversation.
It’s about unveiling Jesus and getting to know Him face to face. There are four different faces or ways you need to know Him. They are described in the four gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Matthew saw Jesus as King, a ruler and warrior. He experienced Jesus’ authority and majesty and it blew Matthew away. On the four faces of the cherubim circling the throne of God, this would be the face of the Lion. That’s how Matthew experienced Jesus.
Mark saw Jesus as a servant and wonder worker – docile, practical, hardworking and intentional. He was Mark’s burden bearer and yours as well. This would be the face of the ox on a cherubim.
Though Luke was not an original disciple of Jesus, he, like us, had a personal encounter with the Lord. It was important for Luke to show Jesus’ humanity. He felt our joy, pain and shame. He can empathize with us. This would be the face of the man on the cherubim.
John sees Jesus as God. Period. He writes about the miraculous, powerful, majestic side of Jesus. John saw Him as straight up supernatural. That would be the face of the eagle on the cherubim.
And if you know Him in these four, very different ways, you can have victory in every single part of your life. When you seek Jesus, you will find Him. When you do, you will experience Him and see Him for who He is – the Way, the Truth, the Life. He is the Word who created and the Redeemer who paid our debt. He is GOOD!
For now we see in a mirror dimly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. – 1 Corinthians 13:12
From my sermon series JESUS UNVEILED
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December 7, 2017
THE SAME KING
Seeing is believing, but it all starts with what we believe. Remember, others have their own beliefs. Ask the Lord for eyes to see how you can help others believe too!
THE SAME KING
Without the church, America would have no conscience. It would not make selfless choices without the Body of Christ.
The church is so important right now as the days not only shorten, but darken.
This is going to make the church mad, but here goes: The problem in America isn’t that Islam is so big or so bad, or the haters among us are a threat. The problem is the church is so full of limp wristed pansies. It’s ridiculous.
We’re not all the same, and because we’re not all the same, we think we have to bow down to the politically correct and fight each other.
We have black churches, white churches, Hispanic and Asian churches. We have men and women leaders. We’re denominational. We’re non-denominational. Some churches are rich. Some are poor. We all have different traditions and rites of passage. There’s a big difference in our methods and expressions. These things keep us at one another’s throats!
Here’s what I say to that: We’re different tribes, but we all have the same King!!
The Body of Christ is not supposed to look the same, act and be the same. We’re all supposed to have the same King. We’re supposed to act differently and have differences to attract a variety of people.
There’s nothing wrong with our differences. They add beautiful layers to the Kingdom. Those differences are our strength when we realize the church down the street is not our competition. Satan is. This world is.
Are you fighting the right enemy? Are you fighting against darkness or competing against the big church on the corner? Get in the right fight with the right people!
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
– Philippians 2:2
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO BATTLE DARKNESS WITH THE LOVE OF JESUS! PRAY FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST AND STOP FIGHTING THE WRONG ENEMY.
FROM MY SERMON SERIES I LOVE MY TRIBE
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December 6, 2017
PROMISED LAND PARTNERSHIP
Want to go on an adventure with Me? Adventures can be right in your own backyard or across the ocean. Expect Me to be with you. Let’s go find treasure together! What are you waiting for?
PROMISED LAND PARTNERSHIP
In the Promised Land, you dream big. You don’t do that as a slave in the Wilderness. You are told what to think. Your work is toward somebody else’s dream.
In the Wilderness, you don’t dream. You learn to live day by day with God. When you move into the Promised Land, you begin to have the rock star encounter with God Almighty like Adam had. This is how partnering with God to accomplish your God-given dreams goes:
God said, “Hey, Adam. I’ve got this thing. What are you going to do with it?”
And Adam says, “I’m going to call it a lion and put it at the top of the food chain. And we’re going to have the girls do all the work and the guys will just sleep 24 hours a day. They’ll just show up and eat things. That’s what I’m going to do.”
God said, “OK,” because He gave Adam the ability to dream as far as the dominion of the world was concerned. That’s incredible to me. God didn’t show up with a big stick and try to control Adam. Oh, I love me some God.
In right covenant with Him, there is partnership. The highest honor God can give is to partner with you. Can you imagine? God wanting to partner with you? I think about that a whole lot. Really God, you want to partner with me?
“Troy, I don’t want to partner on just the little things,” He says, “but also on the most important things to me.”
What an awesome opportunity. What an awesome responsibility! That’s why you don’t run off the reservation and do things without God. When you partner with Him, and He loves it when you do, you not only fulfill your dreams, you chalk up a win for the Kingdom. Partner for the Promised Land. You can’t go wrong!
…Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
– Philippians 2:13
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO PARTNER WITH THE LORD FOR YOUR DESTINY. YOUR PROMISED LAND AWAITS. GO AFTER IT WITH HIM!
From my sermon series MILK AND HONEY
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