Obedience Unleashes the Power of God!

Want to see a miracle?  Come inside!  If someone invited me over to experience a real miracle, I would not need to pray much about that.  Being a visual guy, I am always on the lookout for something big. 

Joshua was a man who followed a great leader, Moses.  Joshua had seen God do some amazing things in Moses’ life.  Now God was promising Joshua, "If you will just do what I tell you, you are going to have a blast!"  Joshua did not know that he would see the Jordan River divided or the walls of Jericho implode, but he did know that God was a God of His Word. 

Joshua teaches us a very powerful rhythm for life: Listen to the voice of God and do it.  Joshua listened to God and did what He told Him to do by telling the people of Israel what God said.  As the people obeyed they experienced miracle after miracle.  Even to this day we are still talking about the walls of Jericho falling.

The obstacle to experiencing the power God is sin.  Like Achan discovered, sin always weakens our ability to be intimate with God, it hurts our family relationships and causes the world to miss God.  So be quick to confess any sin that is in your life.  Do it right now! 

Now you are back in rhythm with God!  Take time to listen to God’s voice in His Word, through the power of the Holy Spirit and do what He says.  Obedience unleashes the power of God.  You are only one obedient step away from experiencing the power of God.

Let me caution you here.  Don’t miss what the miracle is!  It may come in the form of encouraging someone, praying for someone, seeing someone trust Christ into their lives, or many others things.  The power of God is unleashed in our obedience.  So let the God of the universe do what only He can do and you do what you need to do.  You listen and obey and let Him take over from there. 

The greatest miracle in all the world is for people to cause the world to see the living God and glorify Him forever!

- Todd Alewine

Lead Pastor, BCC

Anticipate

What a wonderful treat it is to share my thoughts with you from Chiang Mai, Thailand. In case you didn't know, I was blessed to be included on this year's Thailand trip. Even more amazing is that I have been asked to encourage the Thai believers here with how they can do children's ministry - that's one of my favorite things!

I have an idea how this can be done in Brevard. But I don't know if this is how it can work in Thailand. But God is faithful and He has been explicit in how I should prepare for this opportunity. Anticipate.

Anticipate that He will show me all that I need to know to be used by him for his purposes. And indeed, He has presented his provision already. I have had conversations with two missionaries here who know things about Thai children already, and I have had a handful of conversations with travelers and locals about Jesus that has helped paint a picture of the spiritual climate here. It has been so fun to see God revealed in these ways.

Should we be surprised that God will provide? I often operate in the normal routine as if there is a 50/50 chance that God will offer the means with which to serve Him. There is a difference in attitude between anticipation and resignation. Resignation says "I may see God, but if I don't that is OK." Anticipation says "My God will come through always. Let's prepare for his arrival!"

We have the opportunity to anticipate God everyday. I have been given the refreshing change of geography and culture to be awakened to anticipating God again. I hope you will be inspired today to anticipate God through my sharing. God Bless you with His presence, power, and promise today!

- Chris Schlender

Childrens Pastor, BCC

Do You Want to Be Successful?

(Thoughts from my journal this week that I hope will encourage you)

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The wicked are not so,
But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1

The blessed man or the successful man is the one who refuses to live (or walk) according to the wisdom of the world. He keeps far from the way sinful men live and does not join in scoffing at God by rejecting His Word as the ultimate authority by which they are to live their lives. Instead he delights in God’s Word which is true wisdom. He meditates on it day and night and is careful to do all that is written in it (Joshua 1:8). This man will prosper and have success wherever he goes. He will be like a well watered tree that never dries up even in the midst of a dry and weary land because his roots go deep and he is fed by channels of living water that the Lord has provided for Him.

Not so with the man who scoffs at God and refuses His council. He will be like chaff that the wind drives away because he has no weight and no root to ground him. He will not stand before God at the last judgment. But he will be sent away from His presence to suffer eternally for his sin because the Lord knows the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked (this world) will perish. What does it profit a man then if he gains the whole world (worldly success) but losses his soul? NOTHING.

Therefore if you carry the name Christian: Walk in His Path. Stand on His Word. Let the world scoff at you like it does Him. Trust in His promises. Walk in His wisdom knowing that you will be most blessed and truly successful in the sight of God. Have confidence that your soul will be secure safe away from the destruction of sinful man at the last day. For the man God knows has His loving & fellowship for all eternity.

My prayer today:

Lord, show me where I am walking according to the council of the world. Please Holy Spirit, convict me to turn from my own wisdom and instead to turn to your Word and find true wisdom to live by. Please grant me the discipline to meditate on your Word day and night and to wait on you. Thank you for your promise to never leave me nor forsake me. Grant me strength and courage to stand firm against the world’s scoffing. Fill me with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that I will walk in a way that pleases you and truly become a successful man for your glory. Amen.

Thankfully in Grace,

Shannon Compton
BCC Life Groups Pastor