Troy A. Brewer's Blog, page 317
October 5, 2017
UNEQUALLY YOKED
The Lord has invited you to partner with Him in a way only the two of you can do together. Continue to ask, seek and knock while praising Him for joining you.
UNEQUALLY YOKED
In 2 Corinthians, Paul saw a problem with the Corinthian believers. They were unequally yoked, and that was a very bad thing. In fact, God doesn’t like it when His kids are hooked up with people or thought patterns that pull them down.
To be unequally yoked is to take two oxen, one strong, the other weak; one old, the other young; one domesticated, the other wild, and you put them in the same yoke, or harness, expecting them to partner for a positive outcome. Only problem is, they will not partner.
One will always pull harder, out of alignment or just plain lead the other astray. They will fight each other and your battle will not be with plowing your ground. It will be about these two opposing forces.
When you’re unequally yoked, you fight the wrong battles. When you partner with the wrong things, you wear yourself out. You cannot progress.
Instead of partnering with the enemy, partner with the Holy Spirit. Yes, make some tough decisions about the company you keep, the thoughts you think and the different ways you let the enemy into your Promised Land.
Kick them out! Declare them ripped out by the roots in Jesus name, then don’t look back. So what do you need to unyoke from?
For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God has said, ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God. and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among them, and be separate,’ says the Lord.
– 2 Corinthians 14-17
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO KICK THE ENEMY OUT OF YOUR PROMISED LAND. PARTNER WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR ALIGNMENT AND PROGRESSION.
From my sermon series: EXODUS
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October 4, 2017
DEFINING GOD
I am coming to you in a new way. Look for Me. See Me behind the veil. As much as you desire My presence, I long to be with you even more!
DEFINING GOD
As modern people removed thousands of years from Biblical events, we read the Ten Commandments as a smart, succinct list of do’s and don’ts. Especially the second commandment.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image and likeness of anything that is in the heaven above, the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
– Exodus 20:4
Now on to number three. Hold on there, Hoss! You’re missing one of the mysteries of God. What did God specifically say He doesn’t want us to do? He doesn’t want us to make carved images of Him. Understand the irony here.
Before He came to earth as a man, Jesus’ name in heaven was the Word. God brings a Word that is carved in stone, then says not to carve any images of Him in stone. What does that mean? It seems like a contradiction, but it’s not.
You can put His word in stone, but you cannot put His image in stone. You can clearly define what God has said, but you cannot clearly define how God is going to show up. WOW!
Yes, my friends, you can bank on what God says, but you can’t bank on what He looks like. God looks like goodness, and concerning His Kingdom and of His peace, God says there will be no end. No end to the ways He can pop in and out of our lives.
When it comes to His word, it’s corporate – for everybody. When it comes to His face, how He shows up in your life that belongs to you and Him. It doesn’t belong to everyone else because it won’t make sense to them.
How Jesus shows up in my life is different from how He shows up in yours. To carve Him in stone is to define or limit Him. Believe me, I’m the last person who wants to limit Jesus working in my life.
How about you? Have you put a face on Him? Have you carved out an idol to worship instead of letting the God of the universe work however He wants in your life? Put down the chisel!
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO PUT THE HAMMER AND CHISEL DOWN. LET GOD BE GOD. LET HIM SHOW UP IN YOUR LIFE HOWEVER HE WANTS TO AS LONG AS HE SHOWS UP!
From my sermon series JESUS UNVEILED
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October 3, 2017
FAN OR FOLLOWER
God is making evident how to count the cost. Are you willing to pay the price? Remember, the Kingdom rewards are worth it! It’s time to make a move!
FAN OR FOLLOWER?
There is a big difference between followers and fans. Fans have to be entertained in how they know Jesus. Followers are required to pay a price because they follow Jesus.
“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.”
– Mark 8:34
Be sure that you’re not just a fan, but an actual follower of Jesus. Followers know the truth because the Truth – Jesus – has set them free.
After defining King Jesus as truth, truth is articulated by defining ‘what’s real’ and what is ‘on target’ with the King and the Kingdom. The Kingdom is simply this: where the King has dominion. When you see something that doesn’t look like the King has dominion, it isn’t true!
No matter how dramatic it is, no matter how many magazine covers or newspaper articles are devoted to it, it doesn’t matter how many brilliant headlines shout that something is real, it’s not truth.
I recently had someone ask, “Hey Troy, how many orphanages do you plan to build?” Well, how many orphans are there?
If we have the opportunity to help abandoned, desperate, starving people, why would we not help? Because the truth is, fans don’t help. They applaud. They like the Facebook post then gulp down their Starbucks while “doing their part” by clapping for our efforts.
Reality check! Fans don’t get dirty. They don’t have their hearts broken, their wallets emptied or their reputations trampled by a mob that says anything done in the name of Jesus is bad.
Followers pay the price. If you have the opportunity to love, bless and encourage people into the Kingdom for eternity, do it. Being uncomfortable for a short while is a small price to pay for the eternal reward of not showing up in heaven alone.
“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower does not sit down first and count the cost, to see if he has enough to finish it?”
– Luke 14:27-28
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO PAY THE PRICE. DON’T BE A FAN! FOLLOW JESUS INTO THE FIGHT FOR SOULS AND SET PEOPLE FREE WITH THE TRUTH.
From my sermon series I LOVE MY TRIBE
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October 2, 2017
PRESENCE AND PROVISION
Seek me. Follow me. While it’s easy to camp around a sermon or preacher, they only point to me. Experience My divine presence and majesty as you pitch your tent next to me. I will care for you.
PRESENCE AND PROVISION
Once they escaped their slave masters in Egypt, the children of Israel found themselves in uncharted territory – the wilderness. The wilderness was incredibly hard because they quickly found out freedom was not about doing things their way. Freedom is about letting God do things His way for and through you because His ways are higher. Ouch!
The wilderness is an ugly place where God shows up and amazing things can happen if you let them. It’s the place where God says, “Rest, relax and rely on me. I’ll show you I can be trusted.” How? By camping in His presence, the Hebrews would see Him at work day in and day out.
They learned to live with God in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Amazing!
While we no longer see that cloud or pillar of fire, God still wants you and I to camp out around His presence. He wants you hidden away from the mob and the influence of your Egypt. He says, “Don’t focus on the daily routine of the world – what you will eat or wear. Just focus on me. I’ll take care of those details while you get to know My heart.”
“And He said, ‘My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.”
– Exodus 33:14
Pretty soon, you will feel more alive today than you did yesterday. Things that used to wear you out, don’t anymore. That’s what the presence of the Lord does for you. That’s why you don’t want to find yourself camping around a sermon or a preacher. The only place to camp out is in Jesus’ presence.
When you do, you’ll wake up to manna each morning. While the children of Israel found fresh food that tasted like biscuits and honey on the ground, you too will find provision in His presence. You’ll find joy through the song playing in your head, strength in the verse you read this morning and purpose in the testimony He is writing through you. That’s your manna.
Sound easy? It’s not. It’s incredibly hard not to grab the steering wheel several times each day and demand your way. Giving up control is never comfortable. It is, however, wise when it comes to your Deliverer. If you want your upgrade, if you want the next level, you need to surround yourself with Him. Talk to Him. Listen for Him. Seek Him and camp where He is. You’ll never be the same.
NEED PROVISION? TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO SET UP CAMP IN THE LORD’S PRESENCE AND STAY THERE. LET HIM MEET YOUR EVERY NEED.
From my sermon series Milk and Honey
The post PRESENCE AND PROVISION appeared first on Troy Brewer Ministries.
October 1, 2017
COMMIT TO THE CROP
I will never leave you nor turn My back on you. In the same way, don’t turn your back on others.
COMMIT TO THE CROP
When it comes to the harvest, you must stay committed. You will not fall out or lose focus. God expects a crop of believers pulled from hell’s thresher.
If you signed up to teach Sunday School, don’t think of ways to get out of it because it’s time consuming. Mentoring a new believer? Don’t give up because schedules or personalities clash. Find a way! Serve. Love. Testify. It’s what we do and we don’t give up when things get inconvenient or uncomfortable.
Just as important as being committed, you need to stay in your own plot of land that God Almighty has given you, whether it’s one acre or 100,000 acres. Do not look at your brother’s plot and say, “He’s more fruitful than me. I want a crop just like that.”
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.”
– Leviticus 23:10
Get your eyes off someone else’s ministry. The ministry God gave you is uniquely tailored for your strengths, talents, time and placement. You stay committed to it. Have lots and lots of Kingdom wins and give your High Priest the biggest harvest of souls you can.
There are days when things happen. There are days you don’t feel good, but you can’t run off. The enemy doesn’t like you sowing seeds and he really hates you pouring water on your fields because it puts out his flames. He doesn’t want Jesus to get a harvest. He will oppose you.
Defy the devil! Stay committed until there is a harvest. It really is that simple.
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO COMMIT TO YOUR MINISTRY WITHIN THE CHURCH AND YOUR MISSION OUTSIDE THE CHURCH. DON’T HAVE ONE? ASK GOD AND HE’LL SEND A PURPOSE YOUR WAY.
From my sermon series LORD OF THE HARVEST
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September 30, 2017
SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY
The blessings of God are all “YES and AMEN”, through and in Christ Jesus. When we seek to acquire our blessings on our own or through fleshly desires we slide right by the best God has for us. Be still and let the Lord lead you into His “YES and AMEN” for you.
SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY
When I preach freedom, grace and love, I’m not preaching “carnal” because carnal things will destroy you. They will chew you up and spit you out, then laugh at you as you lay there dying.
As Christians – Christ followers – we should have a different mindset. We should not partner with the world or carnal things. The Bible calls this being unequally yoked. That’s when you partner with worldly thinking or people who bring you down, slow you up or just drag you off course completely.
Yet, instead of trying to get those things out of our Promised Land, we make the mistake of trying to live with them. That never goes well, just ask the 12 tribes. Many times, instead of weeding these hindrances out and not tolerating their existence, they went into covenant with the enemies of God and not only learned to live with them, but slept with them as well.
The result? They reproduced more enemies for the Lord and for themselves.
We do the same thing today in body, heart and mind. You and I partner with the enemy and tell ourselves we’re in control and there won’t be any consequences. But there always are.
The bottom line is this: We shouldn’t have the same conversations as non-believers. We shouldn’t laugh at the same jokes or get excited about the same things. We really shouldn’t have the same passions as the rest of the world.
Instead of trying to control our enemies, let’s just practice self control, the final of nine “fruit of the spirit.” Self control is the only control you truly have, so use it. Kick out some enemies today!
For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?
– 2 Corinthians 6:14-16a
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO PRACTICE SELF CONTROL BY ENDING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ENEMIES IN YOUR THINKING, EMOTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS. PARTNER WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR PROMISED LAND.
From my sermon series: EXODUS
The post SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY appeared first on Troy Brewer Ministries.
September 29, 2017
TABERNACLE WITH THE LORD
As you tabernacle with Me, I will extend your tent pegs. The more of Me you have, the more space I take, and the more I will need to extend your tent pegs. Press into Me and see how I will expand your homefront.
TABERNACLE WITH THE LORD
Seasons are prophetic appointed times. Seasons are a big deal to God.
There are three specific seasons where God Almighty says, “Stop what you’re doing. Seek My face during this special time and I’ll speak to you. We can have intimacy, you and I.”
In the Bible, those seasons are marked by a feast and there are three feasts where God said He is most willing to be found – Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. I really like the Feast of Tabernacles.
The Feast of Tabernacles is all about the manifest presence of God in your life. It is at the end of the Hebrew year – October – during the fruit harvest. The Feast of Tabernacles is where God says, “I’m here. I can’t be denied, I can’t be ignored.”
If you wake up in the morning and are not aware of God’s presence, you need a harvest. If you live your whole life and you just can’t think God thoughts because you’re so messed up, you need a harvest. If you want to live a life where Jesus is everywhere you go, you need a harvest.
See, if you tabernacle with the Lord, when you think about your past and go to those memories and painful places, because you’re staking ground in Him, you can meet Jesus in those places. Where you couldn’t before, you can now.
If you need that – to tabernacle or live in Him because He’s the only boat that floats – you need a harvest. Go after it because these feasts are not just for the Jews. They are for Kingdom people because they’re not Jewish feasts. They are Kingdom feasts. You and I can get in on the action.
Want a harvest of goodness you can present to the King of Kings? Tabernacle with Him. Go after it. His manifest presence is the reward.
“Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land.”
– Leviticus 26:5
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IN YOUR LIFE. MAKE YOUR HOME IN HIM AND ABIDE IN HIS PRESENCE.
From my sermon series LORD OF THE HARVEST
The post TABERNACLE WITH THE LORD appeared first on Troy Brewer Ministries.
September 28, 2017
THE RIGHT BATTLEFIELD
Put everything you’re involved in right now down at the feet of Jesus. He will tell you the things He’ll handle Himself and the ones He wants to help you with as you seek Him.
THE RIGHT BATTLEFIELD
Alignment for assignment is all about fighting the right battles.
Open Door Church is called to fight the battle of poverty and hunger through our food bank and homeless outreach. We are called to fight the battle for freedom from slavery. We do that through Answer International. We are also called to give orphans a new family name – Christ-ians – through our SPARK Worldwide orphanages.
There are a lot of other great things out there – Kingdom things – that we could be involved in. However, we would be out of alignment because we were not specifically called to do those things. When I say called, I mean God has placed a holy hatred for that thing in my heart as the pastor and in our hearts collectively as a congregation.
I don’t want to fight the wrong battles. That never ends well because God didn’t give me the grace to win on that battlefield.
It’s easy to be fascinated with things that are not your assignment. Ministries other people or churches are doing, and doing well, are their assignment. Don’t go coveting what they have. Why? Because God has a personal, specific purpose for you.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
– Ephesians 2:10
Yes, your purpose is yours alone. Line up with it and leave your hands off the good things others are doing!
So what is your assignment? What has God put before you and given you grace to conquer for His Glory? If you don’t know or aren’t sure, ask Him for a word of confirmation. Let Jesus show you how He wired you to win the war against Satan.
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO GET IN ALIGNMENT FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENT. IF YOU’RE FIGHTING THE WRONG BATTLES, GET OUT! ASK JESUS TO GIVE YOU A TERRITORY YOU CAN CONQUER FOR HIM AND HIS GLORY!
From my sermon series: EXODUS
The post THE RIGHT BATTLEFIELD appeared first on Troy Brewer Ministries.
September 27, 2017
PUNISHMENT VS. PROVISION
I am a good Father who loves to dote on His children. Providing all you need is My divine pleasure. How it hurts when you turn away from My hand to do things your own way. My ways are not your ways. They are much higher. Seek My ways.
PUNISHMENT VS. PROVISION
Nobody escapes the wilderness. Not only that, we all go through our own wilderness experiences. Because it is harsh, we think it’s where God sends you when you’re in trouble. It’s not.
When Jesus was baptized by John, He came up out of the water and God pronounced how happy He was with His son. He said, “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.” Then, the Bible says “immediately, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness.”
The wilderness is a harsh environment that can destroy the unprepared. That’s not you. Because you find the majesty of God in that place, the wilderness is your game changer.
It is so important when you and I have our wilderness experiences – when we’re in the scary places life sends us – that we’re the kind of people who find God’s presence in those ugly environments and come out changed.
Every trip I’ve taken, I’ve asked God to let me come out of there changed and He changes my life every time. I know the Lord meets me in new places. I know He’s waiting for me in ugly, dangerous places. He will get me through it.
When you come out of slavery to sin, death and satan, and learn to live with God, that’s the wilderness. It’s hard because, in the wilderness, you don’t depend on yourself. That would be easy. You learn to depend on God for your provision, identity, our purpose and promise. That’s hard.
Going through a wilderness in your relationships, finances, ministry, parenting or job? Know that God wants dominion over that part of your life. Remember, the wilderness is not about punishment, it’s about provision. His, not yours!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
– Philippians 4:6
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO TRUST GOD WITH THE DIFFICULT PARTS OF YOUR LIFE. LET HIM PROVIDE ANSWERS AND DELIVER YOU. IT’S WHAT HE DOES.
From my sermon series MILK AND HONEY
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September 26, 2017
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
You cannot give what you don’t have. Receive My love and you will excel at giving it to others.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
That’s a good question. For many of us, pride is in a name. We say, “We’re Brewers. We don’t act like that.” I’ve heard this one many times in my life when I made a mess out of things, “Brewers are better than that.”
God Almighty takes pride in His name. It’s His calling card – His reputation, and it’s good. So when He told the children of Israel in the third commandment not to take His name in vain, He means business!
Unfortunately, there’s a mess of confusion around this command. People think it’s referring to using God’s Holy name as a cuss word. Well, folks, that there is blasphemy. Remember, He didn’t say “Don’t say my name in vain.”
Taking His name means this: When you became a Christian, you became part of God’s family. You took on the name of Christ. See it? Christ-ian. If you take on His name, then don’t act like Christ would act, there could be hell to pay!
“Do not be fooled, God will not be mocked. For whatever a man sows, so shall he reap.”
– Galatians 6:7
In other words, God will not let you mock Him or His mighty name with your bad behavior. He will not stand for you and I misrepresenting Him and giving Him a bad rep to the very people He’s trying to save. There are consequences to such behavior!
Yes, when you sow hell, you harvest death, destruction and a whole bunch of enemies that want to tear your life apart. You brought that mess down on yourself. God didn’t have to lift a finger.
He does, however, lift a finger to pull you out. When your words and actions don’t line up with God’s character and family values of love and honor, repent. It’s never too late to run back to the Father and represent the family name with respect. Be proud to be called a Christian!
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO WEAR THE NAME OF CHRIST WELL. THEY’LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE, SO LOVE WELL TODAY!
From my sermon series JESUS UNVEILED
The post appeared first on Troy Brewer Ministries.
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