Unseen Battle

8-31-09

Donna Braman

Today Is The Day The Lord Has Made And I Shall Rejoice In It!

AN UNSEEN BATTLE

Read: Ephesians 6: 10-12

Satan does exist - our broken society testifies to his reality. Those who ignore him do so at their own peril. This is also true of Christians because we are all at war against him. Spiritual warfare is personal; Satan crafts specific attacks for each individual. Though he cannot steal a believer's spirit from God, he can and does harass us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Every ambush and frontal attack is meant to defeat our witness so we can't live a victorious Christ centered life.

Our foe is not ominiscent, but he is crafty. He observes our strong and weak points to determine the best areas for attack. As soon as his prey becomes comfortable and least expects trouble, the Adversary springs a trap. Among his most deceptive tactics is hiding behind familiar faces in order to misguide our fury. For example, he may tempt a husband to make an unwise financial decision that angers the wife and leaves her feeling insecure. But the husband is not her enemy. He needs her love and forgiveness. The enemy is always Satan and his legion of demons.

The first rule of warfare is to know one's enemy, and thanks to Scripture, we can. The Bible also contains an important assurance: "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4)

SEED WORD:

The combined forces of hell cannot equal the supernatural power of a single believer. We have Christ living within us, the same Christ who was triumphant on the cross and whose final victory over Satan was a done deal when his blood was shed and He went to the depths of the earth and took the keys from Satan. Through Him, we can conquer Satan and win our unseen battles by speaking what Christ has already done for us. Satan just tries to keep us deceived from what our inheritance on the cross is. Christ has already won the battle for us and when battles arise, resting in Him in the storm, and speaking the truth is crucial to get through it. Jesus tells us to speak to our mountains. Satan is just a big noise in our head, because Christ has already gone before us and the outcome is set, and we must excercise our faith in that truth.

Serving Him

8-27-09

Donna Braman

This Is The Day The Lord Has Made And I Will Rejoice In It!

THE PASSION TO SERVE HIM

Read: 2 Corinthians 11:22-28

Paul's message to the Corinthians regarding his suffering is remarkable in two ways. First of all, he had obviously faced considerable torment for his faith. Second, he refused to whine or seek pity, if this was the price for passionately serving Christ. Paul was willing to pay. In our own faith walk, we can learn from the apostle's commitment.

We serve according to God's will, not our own. In Acts 9:6, God told Paul on the road to Damacus, "It will be told you what you must do." We are to seek the Lord's direction and timing instead of choosing the ministry that seems best to us. Committing to do whatever He asks requires courage, but anything less is putting limitations on our obedience.

We serve according to our gifts, not our talents. A spiritual gift is the special endowment God gives us to serve where He calls. Talents may be useful in His work, but His gifts equip us for success. Natural skill wasn't what made Paul a powerful preacher. In fact, he spoke of the uselessness of his abilities and pedigree in comparison to knowing and serving Christ, (Philipians 3:4-9)

We serve focused on God, not on the work. Paul excelled at remaining Christ-centered, but this is where many people fall apart. We get caught up in scheduling, responsibility, and duties which can make us lose sight of the true purpose, reaching the needy and the lost.

SEED WORD: Doing church work can stroke the ego but drain the body. If we keep focused and serve out of our gifts, service will be satisfying, even when it is hard or painful. A lot of Christians confuse talent and natural gifts with the Holy Spirit gifts. The Holy Spirit empowers you to do a spiritual work in the body to bring it into one accord by gifting you with wisdom, knowledge, faith, gift of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. A lot of confusion besets the church when talented people think they are the blessing and anointed, and unintentionally strip the church from real power that develops Christians and brings in the lost and all you have is a bunch of noice and the only thing that is in one accord is the leadership. Without anointing it to soon has its own troubles. When we operate in the spiritual realm instead of in the natural realm, manifestation occurs in the church and in its members lives and a real work of Christ is evidenced. So don't think you have an anointed church just because you have the gift of tongues in someone, for a member on its own is powerless to move the church into God's will and power of the Holy Spirit, it needs legs, and arms and a head and feet to go with it. A lot of the churches have lost it's Christ centeredness and is operating in the natural. Pray ye for one another for these ends times is calling for a different spirit in the body of Christ.

Service is not Optional

Believers Ministry

Donna Braman

8-21-09

This Is The Day The Lord Has Made And I Shall Rejoice In It!

SERVICE IS NOT AN OPTION

Read: Titus 2:11-15

Who is a servant of God? Ask the average church-goer that question, and he will most likely point to his pastor or some Christian celebrity. He almost certainly will not say, "I am God's servant." The church has a mixed-up idea that believers are separated into servants, that is full time ministers, and lay people. The bible contains no such distinction; instead, Paul reminds the Ephesians that believers are saved so that they might serve. (Ephesians 2:10)

If there were no other reasons to serve God except gratitude for salvation, that would be cause enough. We are rescued from torment and given eternal life with the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence. Our service is but a small acknowledgement of the Father and Son's great sacrifice, and we have no right to withhold our gifts or time.

Many people, believers included, serve the big "I." What satisfies and pleases "I"? What is convenient for "I"? What makes "I" happy and prosperous? When a pastor appeals for help, most of his parishioners are sure he is speaking to someone else because "I" has insufficient training or a busy schedule. Here is a harsh reality: If "I" is our master, we are committing I adolatry. Anything given first place over God, including selfish desires, is an idol.

SEED WORD:

Service is not an option. The Lord calls us to be servants so that we can invest our lives in an eternally valuable purpose, the salvation and discipleship of unbelievers for His glory. Our job may be insignificant or our limitations great, but we are vessels of Christ with a role in the Kingdom.

Obedience

Believers Ministry Daily Devotional

08-13-09

Donna Braman

Today Is The Day The Lord Has Made And I Shall Rejoice In It!

PASSIONATE OBEDIENCE

Read Acts 5:17-42

Imagine receiving a beating as a warning to stop talking about Jesus! Would you quit? Would you go underground, secretly sharing His salvation with others? Or would you do as the disciples did: rejoice that you were considered worthy to suffer shame for Jesus' sake and then go right back to your pulic ministry! The Lord's disciples reached the ultimate in zeal for the Lord. These men were not compelled by fear or the hope of reward, they faced shame, physical pain, and death because they loved Christ too much to stay quiet!

People who receive salvation and then sit back, content that their name is in the Lamb's Book of Life, have missed the point of discipleship. Salvation is not just for our benefit, the Lord's grace also positions us to be used for His glory. He intends to live through us, expressing His life-changing principles so that we can impact others. The only hindrance is the restriction we set on our own usefulness.

Limitations and passionate obedience cannot coexist. Light might seem easier if we choose when to obey God, but we'll never be satisfied. Instead, we will always wonder why the Lord does not use us more or bless us better.

SEED WORD:

Passionate obedience begins with commitment. Our dedication may at first be based on the promised reward, which is acceptable because blessing is part of obedience. But as we mature and experience increasingly difficult challenges to our submission, our devotion also grows until we, too, can rejoice when we suffer for His name.

Obey Because You Trust

Believers Ministry Daily Devotional

08-10-09

Donna Braman

Today Is The Day The Lord Has Made And I Shall Rejoice In It!

A PASSION TO OBEY

Read: Romans 6:16-23

A passion to obey God does not suddenly appear in the believer's life. Salvation sparks love and a desire to please Him, but a passionate fire is built slowly from the timbers of spiritual knowledge, faith, and devotion.

Obedience usually begins with a fear of the consequences of disobeying. Until believers build a firm foundation of biblical knowledge and trust that offers better reasons to follow God, we are kept safe by the desire to avoid harsh repercussion. Thankfully, as we mature and gain greater scriptural wisdom, fear is replaced by recognition of God's sovereignty and a commitment to submit to His wisdom.

Following God's will shifts our focus from disobedience's consequences to obedience's blessings. Once we taste the best life has to offer, we want to keep good flowing into our lives. Obedience and God's best are natural partners - good derives from following divine commands, while suffering results when we stubbornly choose our own way. This irrevocable principle plays out in the Bible as well as rewarded - either on earth or in heaven. As we become more aware of how blessing follows obedience, we realize that complying with the Lord's will is the only wise choice.

SEED WORD

As our faith grows, we will learn that blessing's motivational power is not as strong as that of devotion. All the promised blessing in the world cannot make a believer follow God into some frightening places. But love for our Father compels us toward passionate obedience, no matter what is at stake. The higher the anointing level, the higher the stakes, and trust in the Lord is vital for He will ask you to do some things that you would otherwise not be able to do on your own, that is why the Holy Spirit empowers you to carry out a commission God has set before you.

Giving Thanks in Everything

08-05-09

Believers Ministry Daily Devotional

Donna Braman

Today Is The Day The Lord Has Made and I Shall Rejoice In It!

GIVING THANKS IN EVERYTHING

Read: Ephesians 5: 15-21

Why would God command us to thank Him regardless of the circumstances?

The idea defies human logic. But then, the Lord rarely binds Himself to man-made rules. Scriptural principles serve specific purposes in the Christian's life. Gratitude keeps us aware of God's presence, which builds our trust and ultimately strengthens our witness.

We must realize that thankfulness is not based on emotions or a situation's outcome. We can be grateful, even during trials, because the Lord has promised to work everything for our good. (Romans 8:28) That means He has a purpose for every experience, pleasant or difficult. A big problem stacked against our small resources sends us running to Him, thankful He has committed to work it to our benefit.

The believer's part is to trust God will bring good from trials and to discover His plan, which gives further reason for thanking Him. Understanding His intentions renews our strength for facing difficult trials. Expressing gratefulness changes our attitude about God, ourselves, and our situations. Most people allow hurt and stress to form a pessimestic mindset, which negatively impacts every area of their life. But believers have God's Spirit working within to provide courage and a flow of thanksgiving.

SEED WORD:

When we demonstrate thankfulness in harsh circumstances, other people pay attention. Our coworkers, family, and friends will want for themselves the peace and energy we derive from a grateful relationship with the Lord. So whatever you experience today, go ahead and defy logic-praise God.

A Tough Command

Believers Ministry Daily Devotional

8-1-09

Donna Braman

This Is The Day The Lord Has Made And I Shall Rejoice In It!

A TOUGH COMMAND

Read: 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Some verses are easier to memorize than practice. If we could simply remove a word or two, God's command would feel doable. Giving thanks is easy, but giving thanks in everything is a nearly impossible task. Often gratitude is a nearly impossible task. Often gratitude seems inappropriate, considering the depth of pain or turmoil we are experiencing. But we have a Comforter who helps us exercise thankfulness in every situation.

The Holy Spirit helps believers to do what God requires, and part of His work involves teaching us a gratitude habit. Psalm 92:1-2 tells us that since "it is good to give thanks to the Lord," we ought to "declare God's lovingkindness in the morning, and His faithfulness by night." In other words, we should regularly anticipate and recall His provision. But when believers awaken to painful circumstances that have no logical reason for thankfulness, our Comforter provides the motivation and words.

Thanksgiving during turmoil takes place neither spontaneously nor apart from another spiritual acitivity - prayer. Today's scripture links the disciplines of rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving: both exultation and gratitude hinge upon regular communication with God. A prayless man cannot remain thankful for long because he is too overwhelmed by his problems. Talking with God forces problems to recede so they can be replaced by peace.

SEED WORD:

The Lord commands us to exercise gratitude because He knows the spirit is lifted and courage strenghened when we focus on His work in our life. And as we watch Him intervene, we rejoice more, pray harder, and learn to give thanks in everything.