Troy A. Brewer's Blog, page 343
January 21, 2017
Does God want too much out of you?
How much of your life have you given to the Lord? If you think it is too much, step back to see what He has given to you. Make your life a living sacrifice and you will be blessed.
“GOD WANTS TOO MUCH OUT OF ME!”
Ok, this is another lie that Satan likes to whisper in our ear so we won’t go after God’s best for us. He wants us out of the fight, off the mission field and influencing others to follow our sorry attitude.
“So, let me get this straight,” said the young man across my desk. “I quit smoking weed. I moved out of my girlfriend’s house. I don’t have any friends except here at church, and you’re telling me God wants more?”
“Yes.”
“How much more, Pastor Troy?”
“Everything. All of it. He’s after you, boy, and He’s not going to quit.”
Over the years, I have had this conversation with many people, including the good looking fat man in the mirror. We all have a selfish part that wants to tell God to “talk to the hand” when it comes to asking more out of our life. On this subject, we need a right mind.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
– Romans 12:1
Gulp! What does it mean when it says to present your body as a living sacrifice? It means to lay it down and give it up. You may fear going to the trash dumps of Matamoros, Mexico, the OpenDoor Food Bank or the homeless outreach on Skid Row, but the Lord just told you to sacrifice your personal comfort and sometimes, safety, to go there to help the hurting.
It’s really not a big deal. As a matter of fact, it’s only your “reasonable service.” In other words, it’s the sensible, sufficient and inexpensive way to serve the Lord.
So how can God think it’s not a that big a deal to give your entire life to Him? Because He made it so He owns it!
From my book: SOUL INVASION
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January 20, 2017
Ready to free fall?
Don’t limit God. He is moving you into a new place that is out of your comfort zone. He is making the way for you to free fall into is loving arms as you step off the edge of the map. Don’t back off, but embrace this new place.
GOING OFF THE MAP
We’ve talked about the fight for forward and the principle of momentum, now let’s move forward to the actual process of discovery. Yes, it’s a process!
There is a whole new paradigm we discover when we win the battle, move forward and actually stomp around in new and better places. However, there is an immediate problem with this new level. We are unfamiliar with it. I call those places “off the map.”
When Alexander the Great came to the Indian Ocean, he wept because as far as he knew, there was no more world to conquer. There was actually a lot more left to explore, but he was limited to a map.
That’s not you. You and I were called to be greater than Alexander ever could be, because we have no such limitations.
See, I am doing a new thing! How it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
– Isaiah 43:19
The wilderness is wild because it isn’t inhabited. It’s in uncharted places that He makes a way or a path of progression for each of us. Because of this, He will ask you to try new things without any explanation whatsoever. Off the map. This is God moving you forward.
He doesn’t care if you are a professional speaker when He calls you to speak to great people. Just ask Moses.
He doesn’t care if people like you when He calls you to have influence as a prophet. Just ask Jeremiah.
He doesn’t care that everybody thinks worship should be solemn and reverent when He calls you to let it all hang out for His heart. Just ask David.
He told Peter to eat unclean food although his Jewish culture said it was forbidden. Off the map. Just like the Holy of Holies or this place…
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO TAKE THE LORD UP ON HIS INVITATION TO GO OFF THE MAP. ASK HIM WHERE HE WANTS TO TAKE YOU AND KNOW HIS SPIRIT IS INSIDE YOU TO GUIDE YOU.From my book: LIVING LIFE /FORWARD
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January 19, 2017
Be strong; do not fear
You have heard a saying, “You only live once”, but believers are actually passing through to an eternal life. When we take our last breath on earth it will be our first breath in heaven. Wow what a transition and what a day! Isaiah 35:4 says to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with a vengeance; with divine retribution and He will come and save you.”
SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN
Perhaps the most potent and effective lie of Satan that we swallow whole is the overwhelming fear that “something bad is going to happen,” or “death is after me.”
Impending doomsday is a terrible feeling. I get it ever single time I step onto an airplane. I’m not going to lie to you, none of us gets out of this life alive.
Just as man is destined to die once and after that face judgment.
– Hebrews 9:27
The Bible doesn’t shy away from death, but treats it as a matter of fact. In Ecclesiastes, it simply says there is a “time to be born and a time to die.” It’s just the way it is. We don’t have to like it and, if you want to live well, you won’t let the fear of it rule you.
So many people have been completely incapacitated by the fear of death. Many don’t know this but history’s most famous nurse, Florence Nightingale, was so traumatized by the suffering and death she encountered while taking care of the wounded in the Crimean War, she eventually fell slave to the fear of death. She said she knew it was stalking her.
Once bold and selfless, she laid down in her bed, turned her face to the wall and waited for death. A heroine in all the history books, her end came at age 90. She never left her bedroom.
Do not let the fear of death paralyze you! Florence Nightingale did and she wasted several decades of her life. Think of the impact her service could have made over 50 years!
While the Bible is the ultimate authority, I believe these men have some good advice on the subject.
“Men are not prisoners of fate, but prisoners of their own minds.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
“All battles are fought by scared men who’d rather be some place else.”
– John Wayne
From my book: SOUL INVASION
January 18, 2017
God is good and He is waiting for you
God sees you and is crazy about you. Put down those things that you have placed ahead of Him and draw near to Him. You were created for a personal relationship with Him and He’s waiting for you to draw near.
CHEERING FOR THE WHITE HAT
I’m a black and white type of person. I understand shades of gray, but that doesn’t mean I like them.
When I watch a movie, I like it when the good guy is a good guy, and the bad guy is a bad guy. I don’t like it when all of that is blurred and the hero has a bunch of character flaws, while they try to drum up sympathy for the villain.
Jesus wired me with a huge value for good and that’s why I’m such a fanatic about the goodness of God. Know this: There is no evil in God — at all! He is good, and His intentions and plans for you are good.
His goodness is how I know He is the one true God. You see, people throughout history have invented gods — the moon, sun, ocean, sky and nature itself have been turned into deities. Tribal people worship the river god, eagle god, snake god. Hindus have made up thousands of gods.
In Biblical times, Baal and Ashera were major middle eastern gods. “They” demanded orgies, infant sacrifice and women to be raped as temple prostitutes. Basically, they were the first “sex gods.” We all read Greek mythology in high school. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades… the list goes on.
What do all these imaginary “gods” have in common? They disapprove of man and enjoy punishing him if they are unhappy with his behavior — or just in a bad mood. You see, man-made gods always hate us. They always want to squash us like bugs. It’s all we can fathom because it’s how we are, so we create gods who are as evil as we are.
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear their deeds will be exposed.”
- John 3:19-20
The God of the Bible is not like those hateful gods of human imagination. He is the only God in history who loves His people. In fact, His very essence is love. That tells me people did not create God — it was the other way around. If that’s all I knew about our heavenly Father, it would be enough.
When something bad happens in your life, do you wonder what you did to deserve it? Don’t let your mind go there! That’s Satan’s trap to blur the lines and convince you that Jesus wears a black hat. He doesn’t. He even rides a white horse.
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO REMEMBER OUR GOD IS A GOOD GOD. HE IS THE ONE TRUE GOD AND HE LOVES US. PERIOD!From my book: GOOD OVERCOMES EVIL
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January 17, 2017
Do you have a power of God?
Today is the day to show the miracle working power that God has worked through you. Don’t be afraid of what others think, but be bold in God and in the working of His mighty hand!
A LESSON IN ADVERTISING
You don’t have to be a marketing mogul to take a lesson in false advertising from Laodicea.
A city in the Roman Empire, Laodicea was the first city in the world to boast hot and cold running water. Using the genius Roman technology of aqueducts, they channeled hot water from a nearby hot springs and cold from a cold spring in the other direction.
It was an amazing vision and only Rome had the confidence and cash to pull off such a venture. Trouble is, the technology of insulated pipes was more than a thousand years away. By the time the hot water got to the city, it was no longer hot. The cold, was no longer cold.
Like the fabled naked king in The Emperor’s New Clothes, nobody dared to say the Roman design was a failure. At the much hyped ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate this crowning achievement, a dignitary took the first drink, and to the shock of all present, spit it out and declared it disgusting!
The word went out that Laodicean water was not what it was advertised as. It was lukewarm. So imagine the impact of Jesus’ words to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:14-17:
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write… I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 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.”
Ouch! They understood and it really hit home. They were not what they advertised and it made God sick. They were a church that didn’t deliver on its promises. What about us?
We say Jesus saves, that He heals and turns bitter places sweet and dark places light. We say God is willing to step into your life, clean you up and set you free if you humble yourself and ask Him.
Problem is, if we say that, we should be able to produce a long line of people who look like God’s miracles. Without a display of changed lives, our advertising is false. Are you advertising the goodness and mercy of a loving, powerful God who has worked a miracle in you? Do you have the power of God?
From my book: MIRACLES WITH A MESSAGE
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January 16, 2017
God is not a tyrant, so don't act like he is!
We lose sight of God's great plan for us when we say, “I got this Jesus I don't need your help.” But that is the total opposite of what His word tells us to do. You are at your greatest and strongest when you totally depend on Jesus to work through you. The wisest man ever said it like this, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5).
SERVING A TYRANT
In 2 Chronicles 12, we learn about a king named Rehoboam and an Egyptian tyrant by the name of Shishak.
The Bible says Rehoboam “strengthened himself.” In other words, he prospered and got his act together. When he did, he walked out on God. A lot of people do this. I’ve seen it over and over again.
Some people can only walk with God when all hell is breaking loose. People get “jailhouse religion” even outside the jail! They get a cancer report, a severance package or a hit from the IRS and they operate in all nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. But as soon as they get a little strength, back to their personal agenda they go.
Rehoboam did that and it finally caught up to him.
Shishak showed up at the gates of Jerusalem. Rehoboam decided it was time to get right with God again. Because he repented, God showed him mercy, but read very carefully what the Lord had to say:
And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Shemaiah saying, “They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and My wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. Nevertheless, they shall be his servants; that they shall know My service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
– 2 Chronicles 12:7-12
The New Living Translation says, “so that they can learn how much better it is to serve Me than to serve earthly rulers.”
The Pastor Troy Translation says, “I’m going to let them serve an evil dictator for a while so that they can tell the difference between serving Me and serving a tyrant.”
Be careful what you wish for! If you gripe and complain that God is too difficult to serve, He might just let you serve something other than Him for a while – a prison sentence, a cancer report, an addiction, a rebellious child or a financial disaster.
God is not a tyrant, so don’t act like He is!
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO SERVE THE LORD WITH A WHOLE HEART. HE IS A GOOD GOD AND KIND MASTER WHO BLESSES US THROUGH SERVICE.From my book: SOUL INVASION
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January 15, 2017
Don't be afraid to get after the undiscovered
God is speaking to you in ways like you’ve never seen before. Let Him show His blueprints for this season of your life. Be willing to go where ever He shows you without putting up walls that would keep you from moving forward.
UNEXPLAINABLE AND UNDENIABLE
In the Kingdom, it is often the case that we know something before we know how to define it. This is perfectly normal for people who, like David, have a heart after God’s own heart.
From the very beginning, God has called people of faith to move toward things that were not fully mapped out. Just think of Mary and Joseph! Like them, you can be one of a small group of exceptional Jesus freaks living unexplainable lives.
The fever for forward progression comes with a big appetite for the unexplainable and the indescribable. In God’s equation, the romantic notion of “mystery and adventure” comes with the hard rock assurance of God-given vision and strategy.
The bottom line is this: if you can explain everything God is doing in your life, your walk with Jesus is way too safe and shallow. So don’t wait to have your upgrade mapped out before you start walking in it. Just know that it is God and let that be enough for you.
This is how God prepares us to have a heart that says, “Yes” before we even know what the next command is. God blesses the pioneer spirit and the life that is willing to explore.
– Psalm 84:5 TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO STOP PLAYING IT SAFE. STRIKE OUT INTO THE UNDISCOVERED. THERE IS A LOT MORE TO KNOW ABOUT GOD AND HIS VISION FOR YOUR LIFE SO GET AFTER IT!
From my book: LIVING LIFE /FORWARD
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January 14, 2017
Your universe is still expanding
All of God’s creation was “good,” except man, who was “very good.” When you are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, God sees you just as pure and good as the first man, Adam, at his creation. This is a time for God’s goodness to fill you up in areas you’ve never expected before.
UPGRADE IS A ‘GOOD’ THING
From a created earth with endless possibilities, God created us and coded our DNA, just like the universe, to be people attracted to the next level and generally happy with anything related to improvement.
At each unfinished stage, God announces His goodness over you the way He did at the end of every day in the Genesis account. When he sees you complete one small step toward something better, at the end of the day, He declares it monumental and says,
“…it is good.”
-Genesis 1:21
Yes, your universe is still expanding. So why would we dare think it’s OK to not progress and go forward?
TODAY IS A GREAT DAY FOR YOU TO TAKE A DELIBERATE STEP FORWARD AND CELEBRATE YOUR PROGRESSION WITH JESUS HIMSELF.From my book: LIVING LIFE /FORWARD
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January 13, 2017
Good overcomes religion
God has a blessing waiting for you as you bless those less fortunate than yourself. He will fill your heart to overflowing as you give in the area of your greatest need.
GOOD OVERCOMES RELIGION
God called me to give away food to the needy when I was just 19-years-old.
At first, it was to the homeless in Dallas’ Shanty Town, then on Lancaster Street in Fort Worth. We still do that outreach today.
Then old Jehovah Sneaky gave me a bunch of elderly folks in a remote neighborhood who needed food. That turned into the OpenDoor Food Bank, which blesses thousands of people in Johnson County and beyond each year.
Though there is no money or glory in giving away food, there is the blessing of God’s favor. The Bible tells us God loves a cheerful giver. Leanna and I have been cheerfully giving to people all over the world for three decades and I can honestly say, we walk in the crazy favor of God.
The kids were little when our food outreach really started to grow. I was getting more food than I had clientele for, so I went to one of the largest denominational churches in my hometown and made them an offer I was sure they couldn’t refuse.
Let’s call this church First Big. First Big had a beautiful building with a congregation every pastor dreams of. Respectable, influential people who faithfully attended. I admired their reputation so I attended a board meeting and made my pitch: me, Leanna and the kids would bring food to the church twice a month and do a free outreach to the poor. We would wear our First Big hats or T-shirts and represent them well – no muss, no fuss and glory to God!
The pastor looked me in the eye and told me no. WHAT??
He turned and pointed to the fine fellows behind him, the First Big board of directors, and said, “Young man, you see these men here? They are never going to allow that to happen because when you give away food to the poor, they want to attend your church. They don’t tithe and generally want and need more. Pretty soon, all the people who do support the ministry and tithe well are gone.”
My jaw hit the floor. I left ashamed, not of me, but of them. God must have been too, because a few years later, He spoke a revelation into my head. I went back to that church. The pastor and board were still there, but the people were not. First Big was not so big anymore.
I walked in and told them, “I’m going to buy this building from you for $200,000 and you’ll need to be out of here by the start of the month so OpenDoor Church can start meeting here.”
It was a major lowball price. The board was outraged, but the pastor put up his hand to quiet them.
"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
- 2 Corinthians 9:7
“I remember the first time this man came to us. He offered us an outreach to the poor and we turned him down,” he said. “I can mark, to the day, when this church began to decline, that God took His hand of favor away, and it was the day we turned this boy down. Give him what he’s asking for.”
WOW! This act of God’s goodness speaks for itself.
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO BECOME A CHEERFUL, CRAZY GIVER. GOD LOVES THE POOR AND THOSE WHO BLESS THEM – SO BLESS THEM IN THE NAME OF JESUS!From my book: GOOD OVERCOMES EVIL
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January 12, 2017
Are you willing to walk through the fire?
God knows your heart, and knows you can handle change. Be prepared to accept this change and use it for His Kingdom.
THE VIEW FROM THE TOP
Most people can’t handle a fast rise to the top because instant change is required. This is the reality of upgrade and forward.
It is one thing for God to reveal His wonderful plan for you. It is another thing for you to conform your life to the image of that plan. Let’s go back to the example of Saul.
Saul was the king of Israel in title, but not in his heart. He was made king instantly and never conformed his way of thinking or sought after the will of God. That’s why God went and found a man “after God’s own heart.”
You see, David was willing to go through a very difficult process to conform his life to the image of the Lord’s plan to be a Godly king. And, he had to do it before he ever saw the plan manifest.
David was ostracized by his family and sent to tend sheep – a thankless and dangerous job. He faced and killed an evil giant, something no man in Israel, including Saul, would attempt. He endured Saul’s jealousy and numerous attempts to hunt him down and kill him. He endured years of exile in the wilderness surrounded by snakes, scorpions and scoundrels. He was shamed, slandered and scorned publicly by those who should have respected him. Yet, these things prepared him for his upgrade to king.
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’”
- 2 Samuel 5:1-2
Poor Saul was exactly the opposite. He ended up begging for death on the bloody slopes of Gilboa. It wasn’t his upgrade that killed him. It was his inability to change once the upgrade happened that cost Saul his life. There was a whole new life of responsibilities required of him, but he never embraced or owned up to them, or the God who made it all possible.
The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.”
- 1 Samuel 31:3-4
That’s not you!
From my book: LIVING LIFE /FORWARD
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