Existing Ryze members: Sign in here

You are invited to join Brandon
Bracey's Seed Devotions!

Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions! Message Board

[This Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts] 1 - 20 of 1,426  | Previous  Next  [ First | Last ] 11/05/08 BRANDON BRACEY CONGRATULATES BARACK OBAMA! # Brandon Bracey Online Friends, I have been pinching myself since last night. I keep pinching myself thinking that this must be a dream. But it is reality folks. The American people have spoken loud and clear! CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FIRST EVER AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESIDENT ELECT, BARACK OBAMA!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!!! I am still trying to sink it all in! If you are black today, I give you permission to dance in the street!!! If somebody has a problem with it, TOO BAD! For some this really was a dream. For Martin Luther King who endured hoses, and dogs, and was even killed for equality for all Americans, it was a dream. For Rosa Parks, who did not give up her seat on the bus, this was a dream. For people such as Harriet Tubman, who fought for freedom for her fellow brothers and sisters in slavery, this was a dream. For people such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who have fought and gone to jail hoping for a time when people of color could rise to another level, for them this was a dream! But what WAS a dream, yesterday evening, became a great triumph in the history of this nation and of the world! To those in the black community who have fought so hard for this I applaud you, I love you, and this is your moment! Take a bow! Barack Obama represents something that I have been fighting to do online for the past five years. That is bring people together of all races and cultures, unified, for change! Barack Obama is more than a black man who ran for president. He symbolizes globally a changing of the time. In this election there were people who were white, jewish, black, young people, old people, gays, straights, ministers, plumbers, latinos, atheists, abortionists, and non-abortionists, and more all coming together and saying, "YES WE CAN!" To be honest, like many other blacks, I had almost given up on America.I have seen racism and bigotry for the demonic force that is . But my faith in the true democracy of this nation has been renewed! No, we are not a nation of blue states and red states, but we are the United States of America! When I have children one day, I can look at them and say," Barack Obama did it and so can you!!!" There is still some racism out there. There are some whites who can't stand to see a black man as president. But this is ignorance. But I will be fair and say that some whites have never been exposed to black people, just as some blacks have never sat down at the table with a white person. But yesterday we took a HUGE step to healing the racial divide in this nation. We have come a long way. As blacks we need to forgive those who enslaved us. And whites need to not be made to feel guilty for what their ancestors have done. There are also some whites who need to examine their hearts and ask for forgiveness for their attitude towards people of color. There are some blacks who need to get of the mindset that all white people cannot be trusted. It's time to forgive and move on and realize that it is not the color of our skin, but rather the content of our character, as Dr. King said, that makes us who we are. The church needs healing as well. I have heard so much hatred towards Barack Obama these past two weeks that I have been almost ashamed to call myself a Christian. We need to examine our own hearts to see what's really going on. We need to constantly examine our own hearts for love and grace. Seriously. And to John McCain... I salute John McCain. The speech he gave last night was so gracious. He handled it like a pro. This nation is much better off because of the service of people like John McCain. He realized at the end of the day it is not about who is Republican, or who is Democrat. But rather it is about working together to get this country back on the right track. Now where do we as Christians go from here? Some of us are disappointed. While others of us are happy. But that does not matter. You want to know where I am going? The answer is on my knees. I will be praying that God touches Barack Obama's heart in a major way so that he can effectively lead this country using Godly principles and God values. Folks, this change to Godly values will not come over night. This change will take time. The key for us is to stop all the hatred and become unified. If there are two things that we can take from Barack Obama they are: 1) We are stronger unifed than we are divided, and #2) all things are possible when you put your mind to it. Obama has continued to teach me to never give up on my goals and my dreams. My dream is to win the whole world for Jesus Christ online and offline. But I need your help. This is going to take us of all coming together and realizing that it is not about us, but it's about Jesus and his glory and his kingdom being established upon this earth. I ask you, brothers and sisters in Christ, to support our new president. Show him some love by praying for him, sending him scriptures, and encouraging him in his faith. He has the weight of the whole world on his shoulders and the biggest job ever. He needs us Christians to mount him up because he has a lot of work ahead of him. As for me, I am so glad to be alive to see history. I will never forget the moment Barack Obama and his family walked onto the stage last night to a standing ovation. I stood as a black man proud of how far we have come as a people and as a nation. I refuse to pinch myself anymore. No, I do not agree with everything Barack Obama agrees with, but I do agree with history in the making. I am going to go do some dancing in the street myself. Before last night many blacks were saying," YES WE CAN". Today we are saying,"YES WE DID!!!" I give a toast in honor of this historic moment today. A Proud Black Man, Brandon Bracey Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 11/03/08 Brandon Bracey Live On Online Radio Tonight! # Brandon Bracey Hi Online Friends, You are invited to come listen in and join the discussion as I talk about the Kingdom on the Net and Abortion. I will be live on blogtalkradio. Sister Zipporah, who is also a member of Brandon Bracey Ministries, will be hosting the show. We start at 6pm eastern standard time and the web address is: www.blogtalkradio.com/lovechloe. Blessings, Brandon Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 11/03/08 Brandon Bracey Talks About Being Black And Barack Obama. # Brandon Bracey Hi Online Friends, This is the second of three messages I will be sending out regarding this election process. I usually do not get this heavy into the political process, but this election is so crucial that I have to jump into the fire. This message also goes out to all the Christian groups I send my devotions too. The final one will go out probably sometime on Wednesday or Thursday when the election results are in. God has placed it heavy on my heart to just say a few words today about being black and Barack Obama. Please hear my heart in this because this has been tough for me. I have been working this whole thing out in my soul for awhile now. As an African American, this election year has been the toughest for me. It has challenged my faith and everything I believe in. Why? Here is an African-American who is so close to becoming the next president of the United States. The African-American community, including myself, have been so inspired by Barack Obama. We never had no one get this close before. From the days of Dr. Martin Luther King and even before, we have been fighting for equality in this nation. It really has inspired the black community.... and made many happy... to see a black person about to possibly become the next president of the United States. Since the days of slavery people have fought for us to not just have a right to have our voices heard, but also to have people of color in office who were taken seriously and not as a joke. Also someone who could still reach out to everyone, but yet not forget who they are or where they came from. Barack Obama has shattered a major window and the African-American community is very proud of that. Most, if not all, of my biological family is voting for Obama tomorrow. So where does that leave me? Well, I do not jump on bandwagons, unless it's the Jesus bandwagon. I am a Christian before anything else. This may not sit well with some people in the black community, but when I became a child of God everything changed in my life. I developed a new attitude, a new purpose, and a new direction. My allegiance is to Jesus Christ. I know where Obama stands on abortion, homosexuality, and whether he believes Jesus is the only way to God. I cannot accept Obama's views as right when they are definitely wrong. As a Christian my role is to vote using Christian principles and the wisdom that God has given me. Bottom Line. True change only comes when people are changed by hearing the truth and putting it into action. We cannot afford change just for change's sake, but rather we need the right kind of change. This country currently is on a moral and spiritual decline. We need solid Godly leadership now more than ever. As much as I love the black community and our black culture, I am still a Christian first and Jesus comes before anything. This does not change my opinion that the current administration has done a mediocre job the past four years. This also does not change the fact that John McCain all of a sudden is calling for change even though he voted for 90% of the current administration's policies. Just because someone is a Christian, as in the case of John McCain and George Bush, does not mean I do not hold them accountable for the choices they make. Also if you say you are a Christian and do not reach out to those who are poor, or someone who is a minority, are you really living for Christ? On the other hand in the case of Obama, if you say you are a Christian and go against the Word of God, you are living under a curse. Yeah, you may win the election and be popular with many people, but what good is it to win the world and yet lose your soul? To be honest, both of these candidates, in my opinion, have switched some things up and exaggerated some things in order to get votes. This is why we would be fools to ever put our trust in man, when God is unchanging. Jesus is our solid rock on which we can stand for eternity. Friends, I am giving you a glimpse into my heart and all the drama going on in it the past couple of months. It's tough for me to be black right now. But it's even more tough to be a black Christian and know that you are going to be persecuted and maybe even crucified if you do not make the popular choice. But this is what true faith is all about, standing up for what you know is right in the face of persecution. And guess what, Jesus did the exact same thing for us. I have made up my mind that I would rather be crucified for Jesus, than live under a curse. Either you are souled out or done in. Take Jesus to the polls with you tomorrow. Blessings, Brandon Bracey Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 11/03/08 Brandon Bracey Endorses Neither Presidential Candidate. # Brandon Bracey Hi Online Friends! I have decided to send this message out to all 90+ Christian groups that I send my devotions too. What an interesting election season this has been! In just a few days we could elect our first ever African-American president! Or we could elect our first ever female vice-president! WOW! Just seeing the evolution of politics in this nation has been amazing indeed! People often ask me who do I endorse as president.To be honest, I was leaning toward a particular candidate a few months ago, but that has changed. I do not endorse either candidate. I am still in prayer about this. Honestly, I will not know who I am voting for until I reach the booth on November 4th. I will now say a little about each candidate. First of all, as a black man, I am inspired by Barack Obama. As a matter of fact, because of Obama, myself and many other African-Americans have been heavily participating in this election process. Whether I agree with his policies or not, Barack Obama is a transformational figure. His eloquence, intelligence, and charisma, has really inspired me. He is also a wonderful family man who loves his wife and kids. However, the one thing that I disagree with in regards to Obama is the whole Abortion issue. The legalized murder of children is something that does not fly with me!Abortion is a debate I would love to have with Obama! As a Christian, how can I vote for someone who approves of such a horrible and sinful act? Regarding John McCain, the man is a war hero. He has fought for our country and for that he should be honored. John McCain loves our country and is also a good family man. Just like Obama, he also says he is a Christian.I also support his views on abortion. Now with that being said, in regards to the political arena, I am not really a big fan of John McCain. For the past four years I have been so disappointed with the current administration. Everything from how Hurricane Katrina was handled, to how the war in Iraq has been handled, to the current president going on tv and saying he did not know gas prices were almost up to four dollars a galloon at one point, to people losing their jobs and houses, shows an administration that, in my opinion, is out of touch with working families and lacks organization. In my opinion, some who are rich may approve and some evangelical Christians may approve, but minorities, the working middle class, and the poor still often suffer. John McCain is now calling for change even though he voted over 90% of the time for the current administration's policies. You can't help drive the car at 90 miles per hour and then suddenly slam on the brakes and try to make a U-turn! It's a crash waiting to happen! I say all this to say that, as much as we may agree or disagree with either man, these negative messages in Christian groups need to stop. I have read many negative messages about Obama comparing him to some of the most evil men in history and just tearing this man down... and I have read negative articles in the media about McCain.... and of course Sarah Palin. Some people just go too far in trying to convince someone not to vote for someone that they go totally negative and start doing more bad than good.. I truly believe both of these men love our country and want to do what they believe is best for the country. As Christians, instead of tearing these men down, we need to ask God to guide us on who to vote for. We need to study the issues and make a good conscious decision as the Holy Spirit guides us. We should never vote for anyone according to race nor gender, but rather according to what the Spirit of God tells us. And when our next president is elected, we need to lift him up in prayer everyday asking God to give him the wisdom to make the right decisions regarding this nation. Trust me friends, whomever is elected, God will use for his purpose. God is still in control. The next president may make some mistakes and we may disagree with some of the things they do in office, but God still sits on the throne. That's why I tell people to never put your total trust in man, no matter which one is elected. God is our true source for everything we need. One more thing... people get so caught up in ridiculous stuff! Can Sarah Palin be a vice-president with an autistic child? Is Barack Obama really muslim? Is John McCain too old to be president? I am not saying it is wrong to ask these questions, but it gets silly when people spend everyday of their lives fighting over it! Look, I am not getting into this drama! I have a life too live! God Bless Amercica! Blessings, Brandon Bracey Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 10/18/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Passion. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Passion Scripture NKJV Psalm 42:2," My soul thirsts for God, for the living God... I am so inspired by the story of the football player at Mesa State College in Colorado. This week it was reported on Yahoo that there was a young man who is a senior offensive lineman on his football team at this college. On Sept 30th he injured his pinky finger and his football career was in jeopardy. However, instead of ending his career he decided to have his injured pinky partially amputated, or removed. Now he basically has four fingers on that hand, but he said it is worth it because he still gets to enjoy his passion, which is playing football. Now what do you think about that? After reading this, I feel guilty about whining when I get a splinter.lol. I have a question for you: Do you have a passion for God? By passion, I mean do you have a strong fondness or enthusiasm for God? Does your soul thirst for God? Do you long to spend time with God day and night? Do you want to walk, talk, and live like Jesus? What are you willing to give up to stay passionate for Christ? I will be honest and say that often my passion for women has distracted me from spending time with God in the past. Well actually it was not passion, but more infatuation and lust. I am single, but it has not always been easy! I remember one time in the past I did everything to get a woman to want to date me. I would call her three times a day( i know....stalker!), I will ask her can I come over to her place and watch a movie with her( uh..oh!), and I even showed up unexpectedly at her house( stalker again!). But all the while I was losing my passion for God. It was not good at all. Even in the Bible we see people who were not willing to give up what they had to follow God. A good example would be the rich young man( Matthew 19). When you are passionate about something you pursue it, no matter the cost. Are you letting the disdain of non-believing family members stop you from serving God? Are you letting laziness stop you from pursuing God? Are you letting the cares of this world take your attention and drain your energy for God? Here are things below we can do to stay passionate for God: a) Fix Your Schedule Around God: We should not be trying to fit God into our schedule, we should be fitting our schedules around our relationship with God. This means not hanging out with friends, watching all your tv shows, and then giving God the last minute of your day. If God comes first in your life, you will make this necessary adjustment. b) Start Your Day With God: Starting your day with God not only puts you on track to a have a great positive day, but also by giving God the firstfruits of your day you are training yourself to always put God first in your life. c) Do Not Let Distractions Drain Your Energy: The world and the devil can really drain your energy for God if you let them. But if you purpose to stay intimate with God throughout the day, then the distractions will slowly start to disappear. d) Pursue God: Your pursuit fuels your passion. If you pursue money your desire for money will grow, but if you pursue God you will see your passion for him grow. The senior football player made a tough decision, but I am not mad at him. It was a gutsy call. Even his friends on the team make playful jokes about his amputation. But it's all in good fun. They respect him and they know a person with that much passion for the game will be a great teammate. Are you ready to give your life for God's team? If so, passion makes the difference. Amen. Heavenly Father, I pray for passion to be a world changer. I ask that you will give me the perseverance to fight the odds and always come out victorious. With you on my side how can I lose? Thank you for a growing relationship with you Lord, in Jesus name Amen. The best and most important decision you can make in your life is to make Jesus Lord of your life. If you would like to do that , please pray this prayer:" Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins. Jesus I repent of my sins and ask you to come into my heart. I make you Lord of my life. In Jesus name, Amen." If you have prayed this prayer congratulations! You are saved and a now apart of the Family Of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 10/17/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Indictment Against God. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Indictment Against God Scripture NKJV Psalm 42:5, " Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance." Before I begin I must say that what I am about to say is a true story. Last year a Nebraska legislator filed a lawsuit against God. This week it was reported that the lawsuit was thrown out because the Almighty was not properly served due to his unlisted home address. The lawsuit stated that God had made terroristic threats against the senator and his constituents in Omaha, Nebraska. It also stated that God inspired fear and caused widespread death, as well as, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the earth's inhabitants. This particular senator also has been known to skip prayers during the legislative session and often criticizes Christians. You may be asking what was this man smoking to file a lawsuit against God? But this does not shock me. It is rather funny though. But the fact is that a lot of people indict God, but this man just happened to make his indictment public. What is an indictment? An indictment is to charge someone with a crime or accuse of wrongdoing. God has often been charged with some of the greatest crimes in the world such as terrorism. Or even legal crimes such as abortion. God has even been accused of wrongdoing, whether intentionally or not, when it comes to prayer in public schools or having the ten commandments be seen in public. You may find yourself in a situation right now in your life where you may believe it is all God's fault. You have never been able to forgive God ever such your child got hit by a car and died. You still blame God for allowing your family to turn their back on you. You may even blame God because you have been wounded by church folk. Now you hate God and the church. But I am here to let you know that an indictment against God is an indictment against yourself. You indictment yourself by harboring bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred, and anger, which leads to a dark life and separation from God. It ruins your relationships and then you are fresh bait for Satan. Whether you are a believer or not, God loves you. We were created in his image and God always has your best interests at heart. The fact is that the bible says it rains on the just and unjust. Also as long as we live on this earth, there will be trials and tribulations. There will be times of heartache and pain. But if you trust God, joy always comes in the morning. The bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6 to trust in God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. The Bible also says in Lamentations 3:22-24 that God's mercies are new every morning and Great is His faithfulness! We may not always understand everything, but God knows and is working everything out for our good! He is so faithful and if you would trust and keep your hope in him, you will raise up of your situation like an eagle. Here are some ways below to keep your hope and trust in God: a) Know God Is Love: God is not some evil person who counts all the things you do wrong and then goes on the warpath. God is so loving, merciful, and patient. God is love. God does chastise us when we need it, but never to destroy us. But rather God wants to make us better people so we can have the abundant life he desires for us. God is not the author of sin, Satan is. b) Have Faith In God: The Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Having faith in God means that you refuse to allow Satan or the world to dictate your life. Faith shows God that you completely trust in him to restore you to peace and joy. c) Hope In God: Hope energizes your faith. That postive expectation of good things happening in your life is like a lifeline that brings so much happiness! If you can see yourself reconciled with your family while believing for it, God can do it. d) Worship God: To worship God is to trust God. A lukewarm worshiper will only worship God when troubles arises. But a true worshiper worships God when there is no one around and when things are going well. We worship God because he is great, holy, and majestic. When we worship him it changes the atmosphere and our issues become small in comparison to his greatness to overcome them. e) Let Go: Let go of unforgiveness, bitterness, & hatred and cling to God. These are seeds of death. But God loves you and wants you to enjoy life. God will give you double for your trouble. But you must have the right attitude and stay faithful. The senator did not realize that he was indicting the one who created him, thereby indicting himself. If you have charged God, think about your life and where you would be without him. Then drop the charges. Amen. Heavenly Father, Thank you for always having my best interests at heart. You have shown me your faithfulness time and time again. Your love is amazing. I know you are on my side and I will continue to put all my hope, faith, and trust in you in Jesus name, Amen. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: " Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen." If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 10/09/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Testimonies. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Testimonies Scripture NKJV Revelation 12:11," And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." A couple of days ago there was a message in a bottle found on the island of Middle Cairos. 35 years ago an 11 year old boy wrote a message with his name and address on it and dropped it overboard off a ship that he and his family were on. They were sailing on the maiden voyage of the 25,000 ton Vistajford. This was a family vacation trip to the Southern Caribbean from New York. The amazing thing was that this message was found and delivered to the 11 year old boy who is now a 46 year old man! He could not believe that the message survived in the bottle for so long after soooooo many years! Even more amazing was how his sister started to recall how much she enjoyed the trip many years ago. That message in a bottle became a reminder of how wonderful their trip had been when they were kids. This wonderful story reminded me of our testimonies. A testimony is simply evidence given by a witness. If you keep a journal you can look back and see all the times God was with you when you went through a trial. Then if you look at your journal through the years, you can see how your testimonies have been stored up and preserved to be shared at the right time. I know gas prices are high and you can hardly afford to put gas in your car, but do you remember when you did not even have a car and God blessed you financially with being able to get your first one? I know your son is 26 and getting his life together while working at McDonald's, but you recall when he was strung out on drugs and your family pitched in to get him to rehab? Do you remember how that saved his life? I know he is not where you want him to be yet, but do you remember where he used to be? I know you can't stand your boss and your job is boring, but at least you have a job. Can I be real today? See, when we think about the goodness of Jesus and all that he has done for us... when we look back over our lives and see the testimonies God has blessed us with.... when we think about how God's hand was on us through every trial... we have so much to be thankful for! Then we got to go out and share it with someone else who needs to hear it! I remember when I was just starting in Ministry and I did not know what the heck I was doing! All I knew is I wanted to do something for God online. So I founded Brandon Bracey Ministries! There were a lot of bumps in the road. People left the Ministry, there was chaos at times, and I was so wet behind the ears that I did not know exactly how to handle everything that was new to me. But God said as long as you remain faithful.... now I feel like shouting.... as long as you remain faithful I am going to take you from glory to glory and your testimony will be so wonderful that people will know it had to be God! Let me tell you, never underestimate the power of your testimony. There is no testimony without a test. But once you pass that test there is a testimony. Here are some ways to effectively use your testimonies for God below: 1) Keep A Journal: Ok, now I am preaching to myself.lol. A journal is an effective way to recall God's hand in your life by being able to look back over how God has blessed you through the days, months, and years. I am so guilty of not being consistent with my journal, but I am about to get to it on a regular basis. 2) You Have A Sphere of Influence: Every one of us has a sphere of influence where we can be very influential and really pour into someone's life. Use it. 3) Share Your Testimony: One day you will have an opportunity to share your testimony. God's love is needed to be displayed to a lost and dying world. Also ,our own brothers and sisters in Christ need to be encouraged as well. Your testimony has the power to change a nation. 4) Be Thankful: Every blessing comes from God. Being thankful allows you to humbly see God's hand upon your life and makes you want to share this love that God has given you. Just like the man received his message from 35 years ago that brought back memories, remember the wonderful things God has done for you. Then share them with the world. Amen! Heavenly Father, Thank you for every test I have passed and every storm you have brought me through. I realize I am living every moment because of you. Holy Spirit guide me to those whom I can share my testimony that you will glorified Lord, in Jesus name, Amen. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: " Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen." If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 10/08/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Prayer. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Prayer Scripture NKJV Psalm 119:99-100, " I have more understanding than all my teachers, For your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep your precepts." I would have loved to have had a conversation with Albert Einstein. He passed away in 1955 and was highly respected by many when and before he passed away. Many people considered Einstein a genius because of his great intelligence. The definition of a genius is one who has exceptional natural capacity of intellect or natural talent or ability. Also, a nation or period of distinct character and spirit. Einstein was a German born theoretical physicist. He was best known for his theory of relativity and specifically mass-energy equivalence. Einstein received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1921 for his work in Theoretical Physics and also his discovery of the law of photoelectric effect. He has published over 300 scientific works and over 150 non-scientific works, and is highly respected in the Physics community. If that was not enough, he was named Person Of The Century by Time Magazine in 1999. I love reading about people who were considered to be geniuses in their field. Just like Einstein, there are other people who are considered geniuses in their field as well. He have heard people mention Barack Obama as a genius for his intelligence, or also Michael Jordan for his natural ability and talent in basketball. But as wonderful as these people are in their fields, even they are limited as human beings. While these people have genius in their particular fields, they are not "certified" geniuses. When I say certified , I mean it is true to suppose they know everything. They do not know the numbers of hairs on your head. They do not know how to create the earth in 6 days. They do not know what it takes to bless someone with talents and abilities, or with a profound sense of intelligence. There is only one certified genius and that is Jesus Christ! Yes, he knows everything! But here is the reality.... although God knows everything, believers still will not converse with him on a regular basis. For some people, prayer is either a task that we just do or something we do when we have time. Prayer is simply communicating with God. We can communicate with God at anytime during the day or night and he will be ready to hear and speak with us. Here is a person who knows everything about us and we still will not let him in our lives??? You have been crying all night about your cheating man who still has not come home, but yet you will not ask God to intervene on your behalf and give you the wisdom to know what to do. You know the company you work for is going out of business, but instead of asking God to show you the right steps to take in finding a new job, you go call your best friend and throw a pity party. If you are a teenager trying to go to college but just do not have the money, you get lazy and say I don't know what to do, instead of praying that God will give you ideas on how to get financial aid or a scholarship! Your aptitude( readiness or quickness in learning) determines your altitude(how high you will go in Christ). How much wiser would you be if you conversed with a certified genius all day long? How much more would you see breakthrough if you prayed to God regarding your situations? How much more would you know if you allowed the Holy Spirit to speak with you and order your steps through prayer? It is true we become more like those in whom we spend time with. Your prayer life is so important. Prayer is your lifeline to God. He knows you better than anyone. Here are steps below to help make prayer a imporant priority in your life: A) Give Up Pride: If you are too prideful to pray, you are in for a dry, stale life. Pride in ourselves or what we have causes us to look inward, rather than upward. Proverbs 29:23 talks about how a man's pride brings him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. When you are humble, then God knows you have a teachable spirit and that's how you learn and grow. Get rid of pride before it destroys you. B) Give Up Laziness: Lazy people never acheive anything great. It is easy to procrastinate and say,"I will pray later." But later may never come. Turn off the tv, and spend time with God. C) Know Your Source Of Help: Friends and family can be very supportive, but ultimately it is God who has the right answers for you. Now, I am not saying it is wrong to ask Christian family members or friends for advice, or even Christian Counselors. I am simply saying seek God first and then he will lead you to the right people or right thing to do. D) Have Faith: When you do pray have faith that God knows and understands what you are going through. Remember, Jesus came to live on the earth before he was crucified, buried, and then resurrected. Therefore, he can sympathize with your needs. But remember he is not moved by your issues, but by your faith. You know... God may not always give you the answer you want in prayer, but he will always have the right answer. I would rather talk to a certified genius who knows everything about me than a mere human any day. Amen. Heavenly Father, Your wisdom knows no bounds and I am so glad to be your child. I pray that you would help me to develop a heart of teachability, humbleness, drive, faith, and readiness so I can receive your guidance and love. Thank you Lord for the lifeline of prayer. Thank you for the opportunity to talk with you everyday in Jesus name, Amen. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: " Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen." If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 10/07/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Answering Questions About Faith. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Answering Questions About Faith Scripture NKJV Isaiah 43:2-3," When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire , you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.. For I am the Lord Your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place." Yesterday, evening in the news I read about a man who killed his wife, three children, and mother-in-law and then himself. He left a note saying he was frustrated over financial issues he was having and not being able to provide for his family. The man had a masters degree in finance, but had been out of work for a few months. The family lived in an upscale gated community. You may be saying to yourself that this is so tragic. But I am not surprised because the cares of this world grip so many lives. With a failing economy many people are having fear race through their hearts over how they are going to make ends meet and care for their families. This is why faith is so important. I want to take the time to answer some questions regarding the topic of faith. It is so important that we continue to walk in faith during these troublesome times. Here are the questions and my responses below: 1) Brandon what is your definition of faith? My definition of faith is complete reliance on, loyalty to, and trust in God. Bottom Line. But see this is not as easy as it looks. I mean why have faith in God for your finances, when you can sell drugs or make a behind-the-scenes business deal that cheats people , but noone would have to know about it? This is the way people think. Then the next thing you know people are making money their God. This is not just with finances, but also with people and things. Some people idolize their pets and their spouses. But money fades, pets pass away, and even people are imperfect and pass away. But God never fades, is perfect in his holiness, and will never fail you. The Bible says in Isaiah 26:3-4 that he is our Rock eternal. Hallelujah! We can trust in the Lord forever! As our Rock he is not moved by a failing economy, gas prices, or anything else! God sits on the throne eternally! 2) Brandon I often get confused about faith & works. If I do no works, does that mean I do not have faith? Listen, there are some ministers that teach that you have to earn your way to heaven. That is not true. You can not earn salvation and you did nothing to deserve it. Paul said it best in Titus 3:5," not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." Jesus died for you because of God's love for mankind and to have a relationship with his creation. Also, God wants us to fulfill our God ordained purpose on this earth. Now with that being said, though we are saved by faith and not by works, our faith must be the kind that works. We are not saved BY good works, but FOR good works. Faith is the source of our salvation, but good works are the way we express the reality of our salvation. Basically, if your faith does not express itself in love, compassion, mercy, and good deeds...then it is not true faith at all. Faith without action is useless and meaningless. Faith becomes significant when it promotes action. James said it best in the book of James Chapter 2. Look at verses 14-17. James talks about how there is no profit to faith without works. This is a basic principle in anything, whether you are starting a business or doing a school campaign. If we have faith in it and do nothing about it, our faith really does not amount to anything. 3) Brandon how does faith and hope work together? Do I need to hope for something in order to have faith in it? Well first let's look at the definition of hope. My definition is to desire something with confident expectation of it's fulfillment. Hope is not begging, but rather believing God for wonderful things to happen in your life. Hope actually energizes your faith. Let's say you need a healing in your body for instance. It's one thing to believe God is a healer. It's another thing to believe God can heal you. See, when you can see yourself healed, it actually energizes your faith and gets you positively excited and expecting to see the full manifestation of it! The Bible puts it best in Hebrews 11:1 by saying that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The substance of things hoped for means that faith adds quality or consistency to your hope or positive expectation. Faith and hope need each. Just like peanut needs jelly and ham needs cheese, faith needs hope! Heck, you can even call them best friends! 4) With a failing economy and so many problems in the world, how do you keep your faith strong when going through hard times? To be honest I have times when I fear too. I have my car in the shop right now getting some things fixed on it. One of the fears that went through my mind yesterday was that because of the failing economy and people getting laid off, what if I lose my job? How would I handle emergency situations if something came up with my car? But I counter these fears by standing on the promises of God and meditating on them day and night. God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. My faith and love for God drives out all fear from my heart. Psalm 56:10-11 and 1 John 4:18 truly minister today in these days. Also, I stay prayerful, stay in fellowship with like minded believers, confess scriptures over my life and just get intimate with God. I want everyone in the world to understand the power and fulfillment that comes from an intimate relationship with God. When you get intimate with God, the world can crumble all around you, but you will still have so much peace and joy. It's so awesome! 5) How do you believe in a God that you cannot see? Just like I believe my money is in the bank, even though I cannot see it. Look, when we try to get all logical and philosophical about faith, you can possibly turn faith into an intellectual exercise, rather than a heart-changing life changing anchor in which God is the source of everything you need in life. Now I am not saying that your brain is not important, your mind is important. What I am saying is that faith is a divine, supernatural experience that grows when I give my heart to the Lord and grow in faith everyday. That is what trusting God is all about. Either you believe or you don't. The great thing about God is that he will not make you believe in him, but he will show you a million and one reasons why you should. 6) Do you need faith to receive salvation? You sure do. Why? Because you have to BELIEVE in your heart and CONFESS with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. And once you receive Jesus as Lord your faith will continue to grow as you get to know Him. You may have read this devotion and would like to accept Jesus now as Lord and Savior of your life. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! I hope you have enjoyed this devotion today and most importantly understand how important it is to trust God every second of every day for everything you need. God has protected and blessed his people through generations and it is no different now. Hold firm to his unchanging hand and he will guide you through whatever you are going through. Amen. Heavenly Father, I love you so much and honor you for being my Rock and my everything. Lord with all that's going on in this world, I am anchored with hope and trust in your love, faithfulness, and guidance. Thank you for peace, joy, and love. Thank you for leading me through the muddy waters of life. You are an awesome God in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 10/04/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Pride. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Pride Scripture NKJV Proverbs 5:13," The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate." I remember many years ago when I was invited to attend an awards banquet. This banquet was predominantly African-American and we would have a speaker come up and give a sermon at the end of the evening. The speaker was a young black man and he gave a sermon which spoke about how Jesus was black. The entire message was centered on convincing everyone in the audience that Jesus was black. I could tell the man was trying to inspire black pride, but he was doing it in such a divisive and arrogant way. It's one thing to want to help your race and inspire people, but it's another to be arrogant and divisive in a sermon...especially considering the fact that God made us so diverse. There is no color or race in Jesus. There were not another race or ethnic group at the event. If so, they probably would have left shaken up and disturbed. This man was filled with fleshly pride. Pride is basically conceit and arrogance. Sometimes we operate in pride and do not even know it. Also there are other times we have pride and do know it. Ministries have fallen because of pride. Marriages have been destroyed because of pride. People have lost their jobs because of pride. People murder others because of pride. Some men have so much pride in their wives or girlfriends that they start to treat them like trophies instead of people. As soon as another guy even says hi to them, they get jealous and ready to fight. Pastors who have to have power in their congregation through legalism and laws are often so prideful and insecure. They end up ruining the lives of their congregants and destroying their ministry. Some people can't stand to see you get a promotion so they tear you down behind your back. Why? Pride. What is the root of pride. It can be a number of things. Basically, a lot of the works of the flesh. Galatians 5 shows us the works of the flesh. Here they are below: The works of the flesh: Adultery. Fornication. Uncleanness. Lewdness.Idolatry. Sorcery. Hatred. Contentions. Jealousies. Outbursts of wrath. Selfish ambitions. Dissensions. Heresies. Envy. Murders. Drunkenness. Reveleries(Galatians 5:20-21) But in the same chapter we also get to see the exact opposite of the works of the flesh. Here are the fruit of the Spirit below: The fruit of the Spirit: Love. Joy. Peace. Longsuffering. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-Control. We must learn to walk in the spirit.(Galatians 5:22-23) Are you operating in the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit? Here are some ways below to overcome pride: A) Walk In The Spirit: Most if not all of us have probably heard that when you turn the lights on darkness leaves. That is how it is with the flesh and the Spirit. When you are walking in the Spirit, you are not under the law and not fulfilling the lust of the flesh. It is hard to hate when you are walking in love. It is hard to be prideful when you are walking in humility. B) Know Your Weaknesses: If you get jealous easily, you need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you. God will help us with those things we struggle with. We just have to ask. Unless you know your weaknesses, how can you deal with them? C) Practice Humility: Pride goes before destruction( Proverbs 16:18). It is good to be proud of your accomplishments, but do not let it blow your head up so you think more highly of yourself than you ought to think. Also you were created by God, given your purpose by God, and have been blessed with talents and abilities from God. We did nothing to deserve this nor receive salvation. Thank God everyday for these things and it will help you to remain humble everyday. C) Stay Intimate With God: I always say stay intimate because I truly believe that is the key to going to that higher level in Christ. Satan can't get the upper hand on you when you are intimate with God. But once you break that intimacy , you are fair game. Intimacy involves prayer, devotional time, fellowship, and enjoying God every second of every day. I wonder if that man knew just how prideful and decisive he was being in that message. I am not sure. I do know that humility is crucial to being a true witness for Christ today. Amen. Heavenly Father, I bind the spirit of pride and loose humility into my life today. Help me be a humble, faithful witness of your love, grace, and compassion to the world. Thank you Lord today in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 10/03/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Finances. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Finances Scripture NKJV Matthew 6:24," No one can serve two masters; for he either will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Financial Stability is a big issue going on in today's economy. With the spike in gas prices and people losing their jobs, many people are living from paycheck to paycheck. I just read online in a article someone talking about financial debt. They said that if we just cut up all the credit cards, that would erase debt. Some people would agree and say that getting rid of credit cards would help people not spend money they do not have. While others would say that credit cards are definitely still needed for emergency situations. Also in this election season people are hoping that Barack Obama or John McCain would bring change to our economy. That may happen, but still that cannot replace morality and personal responsibility. I am totally convinced that the world has it all wrong about finances. People are trusting in other people and a failed economy to get out of debt and make ends meet. But as a Christian, I know that the best economy to put my trust in is God's economy. I often hear Christians talking about how we need someone new in office so that they can finally get out of debt. Please! You do not even have a budget and you are talking about getting out of debt? You go out to eat at a restaurant four times a week and you are talking about getting out of debt? You never tithe or give and you actually want to get out of living from paycheck to paycheck??? Are you serious???? The world's system says serve your money by being paranoid about it and desiring it more than anything. The world's system says step on as many people as you can to make more money and be #1. Often the world's definition of personal responsibility is storing and collecting your money and looking out for your own self-serving desires, interests, and goals. Here are some ways to get financial stability God's way below: A) You Can Only Have One Master: Is God or money your master? Which one occupies your thoughts, time, and efforts? You cannot serve God and money. B) Tithe and Give: Storing up treasures in heaven is not limited to tithing, but tithing is a important act of obedience to God. There is a sense that giving to God's wonderful work is actually making an investment in heaven. Through the tithe we seek the fulfillment of God's purpose through the local church(the storehouse). When you do not tithe you rob God( Malachi 3:8). What we have is God's anyway. We are just stewards over what he has given us. A tithe is ten percent of your income. Some ministers teach giving from your net pay, but I teach giving off the gross of your income. If you can't even give God back ten percent of what he has already given you, then you will be living under a curse. It's amazing how many people withhold the tithe from God and then expect to be blessed financially! That's ridiculous! God promises to pour you out a blessing that you will not have room to receive when you tithe!( Malachi 3:10). Also giving financially softens your heart towards giving for kingdom purposes and helps eliminate greed from your life. C) Have Spiritual Vision: You must see the world through God's eyes. You must see things from God's point of view. That's why you need to allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you and show you things. If you dont, your spiritual insight can be clouded by carnal desires. "Good Eyes" are fixed on God. D) Seek eternal value: Never get to attached to your possessions, lest they possess you. Those things will soon fade away, but only things with eternal value will last. E) Do Not Worry: I am concerned about the economy, but not worried. See, worried means I can't sleep, it's consuming my thoughts, and reducing my ability to trust God. I pray and then move on. F) Live Below Your Means: Learn to save some of your paycheck and cut back on eating out or getting your hair and nails done twice a week. Seriously. Consider putting aside ten percent of your paycheck for the tithe, 20 percent for emergency spending, and 20 percent for saving. Then use the rest for bills and a little change for play. G) Put God First: This sums it all up. People, objects, goals, and desires all compete to bump God out of first place. But what is really important to you? You must actively choose to put and keep God first place in your life every day. When you do these things above, you are acting responsibily to get on the right track financially. People will start to wonder why you have some much peace in troubled times. Then you can just smile and say," Because I live according to the principles of a different economy". Amen! Heavenly Father, I am not worried and have no fear regarding the world's economy because I live by your economy. Your ecomony is the only one that can bring me true peace and financial stability. I pray that this nation and world will grasp your love, peace, and morality and truly be healed. This I pray in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 10/02/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Deception. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Deception Genesis 3:1 NKJV," Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made." I remember a number of years ago I saw a special program on television. This was a one hour program where it featured a pastor of a church and his congregation. This pastor said that he was Jesus. Yes, he said it for real! The people in his congregation loved him and they respected and admired him! There was an investigation done on him and he said that he had received the revelation that he was Jesus. He had thousands of people coming to his church to be healed and they seemed to be so happy. He said he loved the people and was not stealing anything from them. He said they came on their own and they left the church better than they came. Some of the people in his congregation who were interviewed said that they believed he was Jesus and that he was a great man. This was actually a church in the United States. I know some people would be disturbed by this. Others would have chills down their spine. I found it to be dangerous. Any man that claims to be Jesus is headed for eternal damnation. But what made it even worse was that he was leading thousands of others to believe it too. Deception is basically what this man was practicing. Deception is basically the truth twisted up. This is what Satan did in the garden of Eden. Satan was "cunning" or sly. Satan knew just how to be charming and persuasive enough to state his case to Adam and Eve. When Satan told Adam and Eve that they would be just like God if they ate the apple from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, there was some truth to that. They would then know good from evil. But it is funny how Satan never tells you the consequences of your actions. Actually, God had told Adam that he would surely die if he ate of it. Therefore, there was disobedience involved in this. In that one moment, God's perfect creation was shattered. Sin crept onto the scene and things became completely different. How? One word: deception. Here are some ways below to not be deceived in this world today: A) Study Your Bible: At this church above, I wonder what bible they were reading, if any? If you know the Word of God, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth, you will be able to see the truth for yourself. You will not be swayed by just anybody to do anything. Also you will be able to see people and things more clearly for what they are. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3: 16 that the bible is profitable for correction. If you need to know the answers to life's problems, study your bible. B) Pray: Sometimes you may be at a crosswords to know whether or not to take that new job or join that new church. Prayer is so beneficial for us because we invite God into our situation by asking him to help us. Never underestimate the power of prayer. C) Be Obedient: If God tells you not to go that place, or that job, or that church, do it! It's for your own benefit! D) Look At The Fruit: A lot of people claim to be Christians, but consider their lifestyle? Does their lifestyle line up with the Word of God? E) Do Not Put Your Trust In Man: Man has the ability to fail you, but God cannot fail. God does not have to masquerade as something he is not. He is God all by himself and in him you can have full confidence. The minister at this church obviously is like an angel of light to this congregation. But what a great phony! But this does not surprise me since I truly believe we are in the last days! I expect this to happen! But we have to be alert and realize that as things happen we cannot afford to be deceived. False Prophets will spring up, but they can be spotted and called out for what they are. Amen. Heavenly Father, Thank you for showing me through your Word how to spot false prophets and others who claim to be what they are not. Holy Spirit guide me into all truth that I may be able to separate the fake from the real and be a true witness for Christ, in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey Ministries: Celebrating Five Years Of Online Ministry! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrandonBraceyMinistries and Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 09/27/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Fight Back! # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Fight Back! Scripture NKJV Colossians 1:13," He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed into us the kingdom of the Son of his love." Just last week there was an 83 year old woman that was attacked in her apartment building in New York City. The person that attacked her was a man that was 50 years her junior. He felt like she would be an easy victim so he physically attacked her, and attempted to rob her. But what he would see next is the fight of a woman who refused to smell defeat. She fought back with all she had! He punched her and she kicked him! They fought to a standstill! I think the man got away, or he may have been caught. It made the Yahoo news! The reporter was amazed at how this woman who was over 80 years old could fight a man so much younger than her to a standstill! The elderly woman was deaf , but she had a great left hook! She was not imtimidated and she told the reporter that if the man ever came back she was going to break his nose!!!!!!!! WOW!!! Now we all need to take a lesson from this brave woman when it comes to Satan. See Satan is like a bully in school. A bully picks on kids who they think are frail and weak. The reason the bully does this is because he is truly a coward himself. Most bullies would be afraid if they met their match. Just like a bully, Satan loves to pick on weak and frail Christians. He loves those Christians that straddle the fence, are ignorant of scripture, and do not give their whole hearts to God. These are the Christians that he can take advantage of and whose lives he can make a living hell. But then when you are a Christian who is strong in your faith, has an intimate relationship with God, and knows who you are in Christ, then the devil starts to get intimidated. He knows that you mean business! Stop running and fight the devil back! I do not mean with your fists! I am talking about fighting against his tactics with spiritual weapons! Your victory is guaranteed because you are fighting a defeated foe! Read and meditate on Ephesians 6:10-17. Fight back against Satan by standing on the truth! Fight back by walking in righteousness. Fight back by working for peace in the world. Fight back by walking in faith, and believing God for everything. Fight back by working out your salvation everyday with fear and trembling, meaning a healthy admiration and respect for God. And use the Word of God to resist every temptation that Satan throws your way by meditating on it. That 83 year old woman was not physically stronger than that man! But yet, she stood up to him and put him on the run! You need to do the same to the enemy! Amen! Heavenly Father, Your word says to resist the devil and he will flee. As I fight this spiritual war, guide me holy spirit to use all of my spiritual weapons so Satan will always be on the run. Lord , I put Satan under my feet right now. He is defeated and I have the resurrection power of you Lord Jesus working on the inside of me! Hallelujah in Jesus name, Amen! Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 09/20/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Dealing With Life's Surprises. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Dealing With Life's Surprises Scripture NKJV 1 Peter 5: 7," casting all your cares upon Him, for he cares for you." Yesterday I went to a gas station in my neighborhood to get some gas because my tank was close to empty. When I got to the station, there was no more gas left! The signs said that there was no gas available. I felt a level of anxiety build up in me. I had heard about gas not being available in other states in the U.S. But I never had to deal with it right in my own neighborhood. It was as if life screamed at me as loud as it could," SURPRISE"! I was forced to scramble to find gas at another station. Every now and then life seems to throw some curveballs at us. I like to call these curveballs surprises because they seem to come from out of nowhere. It is wonderful to get a great surprise like a surprise birthday party, or surprise gift, or surprise visit from a loved one. But unfortunately, not all surprises are good ones. You were surprised to find you got layed off from work. Now you are worryed about how you will pay the bills. Or how about when you went to go get a regular checkup at the doctor, only to find out you have colon cancer? How about finding out that your son or daughter is pregnant? Some surprises are not easy to handle are they? These types of surprises can cause us to experience worry and fear. I remember Christmas around five years ago, when I had to rush my grandad to the hospital. We were having a great Christmas day, when all of a sudden I had to rush my grandad to the hospital because he was having chest pains. We find out that he had had a heart attack and needed triple bypass surgery immediately to unclog his arteries. It caused anxiety and worry to come upon some of us in the family. Then my grandad started to fear he may not make it. This surprise caught us off guard big time. Even though life brings surprises, here are some things we can do below to be better prepared for them: 1) Take One Day At A Time: Matthew 6:34," Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it's own things. Sufficient for the day is it's own trouble." 2) Pray: The Bible says in Phillippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything pray and petition God with thanksgiving. Then the peace will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. 3) Give God Your Burden: If you carry your burden, then God can't carry it. But if you give it to the Lord, he will be happy to take the pressure off your shoulders(1 Peter 5:6-7). 4) Trust In The Lord, Delight Yourself In The Lord, Commit Yourself To The Lord, and Be Still Before The Lord(Psalm 37:3-7). Thankfully I was able to make it to another gas station before running out of gas in my car. In addition, my Grandad is doing great and is enjoying life today. Often it is tough to focus on God when you are going through, but that's when we really need to focus on him. God is not moved by your issues, but rather by your faith. No matter what the problem may be, ask God to handle it and he will. God wants us to have peace even in the midst of our surprises. Life may throw curveballs, but God can catch them all. Amen. Heavenly Father, You are so awesome and wonderful. There is no curveball too great for you. Therefore I trust you. Lord it is not easy. Sometimes the pain and anxiety makes you seem far away. But I will trust you anyway. Thank you for your peace and love, in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 09/18/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Grace. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Grace Scripture NKJV Romans 5:20," Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." Recently I read about a situation where they are men in a prison. Now, of course these men are in prison because they tried to take some shortcuts in life to get ahead and got caught. In this instance, justice had to be served. These shortcuts included stealing money, murder, and other evil acts. Some of these men will be in prison for a few years, while others will be in for life. But there was a person who wanted to do something special for the inmates while they were in prison. This person, who was a Christian, wanted to give the inmates a chance to better themselves while in prison, so that they could get great jobs when they got out. The inmates were taught about doing business God's way and how to become entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur is a person who organizes and manages a business. Some of these men had never been taught anything by anyone. Some people had told them that they would never amount to anything. But yet this person believed in them. This program helped a lot of the men become better men and learn to do business without taking shortcuts. See, sometimes all it takes is one person believing in you for you to turn your life around. These inmates got a chance to experience something so wonderful. The wonderful thing they got to experience is called: Grace. We do not preach about grace as much as we should. Nor do we talk about it like we do more popular topics, but it is so important. The definition of grace is God's free and unmerited favor for sinful humanity. Because God loved us so much, he was willing to save us from sin through the shed blood of Jesus the Christ. We were able to receive this sacrifice for our sin by grace through faith. We did nothing to deserve salvation, but it was his grace that abounded much more where sin abounded. Grace is the reason you woke up this morning and got to see another day. Grace is the reason your five year old daughter did not get by the car when she ran across the street. Grace is the reason you can worship God freely in America and not worry about being killed. Grace is the reason you can come online to a Christian Ministry and be fed the Word of God. Oh please never take God's grace for granted. If not for God's grace, where would we be? There was a mom who was a crack addict. She started snorting cocaine as a teen and continued into her adult years. She eventually had a child who was a crack baby. After having her child, she continued to do drugs until eventually falling into a coma. Right before her coma she had lost her job and was on welfare. She had no place to live and was homeless. Her boyfriend was also a drug addict and he left her. Also, her child was taken away from her and she ended up in a hospital and not expected to live. She ended up waking up from her coma after a couple of weeks. She went to rehab and got her life together. Six years later she has a great job, wonderful husband, a nice house, and her daughter is now living with her and doing well. She is now a pastor and evangelist for the Lord. Many people have gotten saved and delivered through her Ministry. How could this have happened after she had been through the rough years of her drug abuse? There is a one word answer: Grace. Grace, which is God's unmerited favor, kept this woman alive. She probably should have died after her constant drug use, but God had a greater purpose for her. God also has a wonderful plan for you too. We must be sure to truly appropriate God's grace in our lives. Here are ways to do it below: 1) Humble Yourself: You can't do it on your own. Some people think they can be successful without God, but that's not real success. Real success comes not with fame, power, or money, but by making God the center of your life and using your gifts to good and advance God's kingdom in the earth. You were given talents to be successful, not because you deserved them, but because God wanted to use you for his great purpose for you. 2) Let God Be Strong In Your Weaknesses: God's grace is always sufficient in weakness. You may not be the best at public speaking, but God can still use you to speak to many people in your sphere of influence and bless many lives. Let God be strong in your weakness. 3) Show Grace To Others: God has shown grace to you, now spread it to others. It will bless them, as well as you. Your generousity will create a stream of God's favor to overflow in your life. The prisoners did not deserve grace, but they received it anyway. We need to thank the people who have blessed us and thank God everyday for his grace. Just stop and think about all the times God has protected you, delivered you, and blessed you. Think about where you are today compared to where you used to be. Then worship him and thank him for his grace. You could have been left for dead, but because of God's grace you are walking in victory today! Amen! Heavenly Father, I do not know where I would be without your grace. But I do know I am not what I could be without it. Thank you for grace in my life. Lord Jesus because of grace working through faith, I can stand here today and call you Lord. I am so grateful. Use me to show grace to others as you have to me, in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 09/13/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Warning! # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Warning! Scripture NKJV Hebrews 2:7-8,"7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear his voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial and wilderness." Yesterday the National Weather Service issued a report regarding Hurricane Ike. The report stated that Hurricane Ike was coming through Galveston, TX and other towns along the Gulf of Mexico with a wall of seawater 20 feet high. The report also stated that there would be "certain death" if the people did not evacuate from the town of Galveston immediately. WOW! This is as straightforward a report as it gets! Most of the people of Galveston saw that report and left as soon as they could. But some stayed and decided to try and weather the storm. You ask why did they stay? I am assuming that they figured the storm was not that big of a deal and they could handle it. They decided to take their lives into their own hands. Today I read a report that a lot of the same people were calling officials to be plucked out of their homes today because they stubbornly refused to listen to the warning. We will all face a time in our lives when we have to make an important decision. That decision will either have good or bad consequences. You may find yourself facing decisions such as," Should I marry her? Or should I work there? Or should I live here? The choice we make will affect our lives in a positive or negative way. But , just like the national weather service, the Holy Spirit will warn us not to go into a situation if it is not good for us. What makes you think marrying him is good when he cheated on you while you were dating? I know... you can change him. What makes you think going to live in that apartment is good when the landlord is a drug dealer. I know...you just live there. There was a young kid who had become saved and given his life to the Lord. He used to live in the projects with his mom and dad who were drug addicts. He eventually moved to the suburbs to be with his grandparents when his mom and dad could no longer care for him because of their drug addiction. The friends he used to have in the projects were gangbangers, but he missed them. They were like his family, but he let them go as friends because it was violent and they were using drugs too. Three years after being saved, he was a teen and truly loved the Lord. One day his former friends called him and he decided to go back to that project and visit them. The Holy Spirit told him not too. The Holy Spirit warned him that it was not good for him to be around them at this time. But he decided to go see them anyway. That same day of visiting them, he was shot by a rival gang. He got shot in the spine. As of this day, he is still paralyzed and will be in a wheelchair the rest of his life. If only the young man, had heeded the Holy Spirit's warning. Here are some ways below that we can heed the Holy Spirit's warning in our lives: 1) Be Obedient: You must choose to do the will of God. Then the Holy Spirit can start to speak to you clearly and work through you. If you choose to follow Satan, your heart will eventually become hardened to God and you will be unwilling to listen to the voice of the spirit. 2) Block Out All Distractions: I keep coming back to this because too many of us just refuse to do it. If we miss a show on tv, some of us think the world is coming to an end! We get all bent out of shape! But what if you just spent 15 minutes a day alone with God and no distractions? What a difference it would make in hearing what God wanted to say to you. 3) Fast: Turning everything off and abstaining from food... or other things that take your attention is a great way to get in tune to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. You can fast for a half a day and then for more time once you get into a groove. 4) Give God Your Firstfruits: Just start your day when you wake up in the morning thanking God and praising God. Get your mind on God first so you are more receptive to him throughout the day. If you do not heed warnings from God, expect failure. But when you listen to God and obey, you can expect success! Amen! Heavenly Father, Thank you for the shed blood of your Son Jesus and the precious Holy Spirit today. Holy Spirit my prayer is that I will always be receptive to your still, small voice. Thank you for making my path successful when I listen and obey you, in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 09/12/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Un-Inspired Souls. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Un-Inspired Souls Scripture NKJV Proverbs 15:19,"The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the way of the upright is a highway" John and Charles Wesley. Rev. Charles Finney. George Whitfield. William Seymour. Billy Graham. Oral Roberts. What is one of the things these people have in common? The answer is revivals. These people have led some of the greatest revivals in the world, although you probably hear the word "crusades" more when talking about Billy Graham and Oral Roberts. A revival meeting is a series of Christian religious services held in order to inspire active members of a religious body and to gain new converts to Christ. From as early as the 17th century on down to the year 2008, revivals have been used to inspire people to draw closer to God. The hebrew word for revive is "chayah", which means to "keep or make alive". Revivals awaken or make alive our spirits for a fresh move of God. This year on April 2, 20008, before the scandal became news, people flocked to Lakeland, Florida for the revival there. See, people get really excited about revivals because they want to be stirred up. I am the same way as well! Anyone, who knows me well knows that I love to inspire people, but I love to be inspired just as much! It feels good to get stirred up about the things of God. But what happens when the revival is over? Yes, you had a great time at the revival and you have been telling your family and friends how you were blessed. Actually, a week later you are still on a high from the revival! But then you are back to normal and seeking God becomes a routine for you instead of being exciting every day. I have noticed that there are some Christians who get excited about special speakers and services, but when it is over they hardly want to do anything for God. They were excited about going to hear Joyce Meyer, but when they got back home they were back on the couch eating bon bons and doing nothing for God. Heck , what was the use of going in the first place? Why does this happen? Well, it can be a number of reasons. It could be laziness. It could be emotionalism without any real sacrifice. Maybe they just came to hear a popular speaker or see the popular meeting. See, I am preaching to myself about this because I am so guilty. I sort of fall off a little after revivals as well. But here are some things I have practiced in my life below so we can stay inspired all the way through our Christian walk: 1) Be ready in season and out of season: Do not think God will test you on what you promised him you were going to do for him after a revival. A good example would at a revival where you promised God you would do better in walking in love towards your family. Well, the week after the revival you get a call early in the morning from a family member asking you to take them to work because their car will not start. It's like 5am and you are still sleep! Now some people will straight up curse them out! But often these things are a test from God to see how faithful we are. Be ready in and out of season. 2) Do not wait for inspiration: If you have to always have some super-duper inspiration to do something as a Christian, you are in trouble. You may not feel like serving on the usher board every sunday, but if God tells you to do it then do it anyway. You will be blessed for your efforts. 3) Get your mind off of you: We focus too much on ourselves sometimes. But love is generousity in action. When you are at a revival meeting receiving a life changing word do not just think about you. Also, think about all those people who need to hear it just as much as you do and be an agent of change. If you have been an un-spired soul, it's time to get inspired! When you allow Jesus to truly be Lord of your life, life becomes exciting! Do not wait for something spectular to happen! Get up and go strong for the Lord today! Heavenly Father, As I go forth today, let me not become complacent and forget that everyday is a opportunity to spread love in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 09/11/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Living Upside Down! # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Living Upside Down! Scripture NKJV John 18:36," Jesus aswered, "My Kingdom is not of this world..." Has anyone else seen the news this week of the new house this has been built upside down in Northern Germany? I read yesterday that this new house not only has an upside down exterior(outside), but also an upside down interior(inside). The house will be an exhibit and people will be able to start to come and visit the house this week. I mean this house is REALLY upside down! The carpet, tables, and chairs are all pasted on the ceiling! The people who wrote the article mentioned that people felt dizzy and nuaseous when they walked in. I could not blame them for that! You know, when I first walked into that house I probably would have felt dizzy and nuaseous as well. We are just not used to living upside down! But I truly believe if I actually lived in that house, I would eventually get used to it. It may take months or even years, but I would learn to live upside down! Just like living in an upside down house, it's just like this in the Kingdom of God. The world has programmed our minds with a certain way to live. But now that we are children of God we have to get used to a new way of life. It will not happen overnight. For some it will be quicker than others, but over time we will get used to living for God as we are obedient to his will for our lives. God's Kingdom is so upside down , or rather totally opposite, of the world's system of living. The world says get all the money, power and status you can. But God says give and it shall be given unto you. The world says make it to the top no matter who you step on to get there. But God says you did not come to be served, but to serve. The world says to go curse out your enemy and spread gossip about them. But God says pray for your enemy and operate in love towards them. The Kingdom of God calls for a totally radical change in our whole definition of what life truly is all about. You must always make sure you are Kingdom minded. Here are some things below to help you in this radical change: 1) Understand You Are Different: God did not save you to be like the world. He did not save you so you can keep getting drunk and sleeping around. He did not save you so you can make tons of money being a psychic. He saved you because he loves you and needs you to represent him on this earth. You are a royal priesthood and a holy nation. God's holiness and love must be shown through you. Then God will truly be glorified. 2) Understand You Must Have A Different Mindset: Your mindset can no longer be to get revenge on your coworker who stabbed you in back because you are no longer a slave to sin. In order to be kingdom minded you must meditate on the principles of God's word and live by them. 3) Understand the world can give you nothing: If God created the universe, what can the world give you? Only God can satisfy your every need. When you understand you are different, develop a kingdom mindset, and understand the world cannot give you anything, you will be on the path of success God's way. If you think living in an upside down house is dizzy, imagine being a child of God and still trying to be of the world at the same time. Make the Kingdom of God your true residence today! Heavenly Father, You are so wonderful and good to me. Thank you for choosing me to represent you in the earth. I ask Holy Spirit that you will help me to keep a kingdom mindset and know that I am in the world, but not of it in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life please pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I repent of my sins and ask you Jesus to come into my heart. Wash me clean and give me a new life. Thank you Lord for saving me, Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! You are now saved and apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed! Please email me at : brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 09/10/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Singleness Of Heart. # Brandon Bracey Seed Devotion: Singleness Of Heart Scripture NKJV 1 Kings 8:61," Let your heart therefore be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day." What a joy it is to be able to dig into the annals of African-American history. I have been so blessed and inspired to discover the richness of it as I have journeyed throughout my own life. Today I read about a brave, purposeminded woman in black history who inspires me to this day. Harriet Tubman was born a slave in Dorchester, Maryland. In 1849, she escaped from the hand of her master to Philadelphia and eventually back to Maryland to rescue her family from slavery. By traveling by night and in extreme secrecy, she was able to lead hundreds of slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a a secret network of safe houses where runaway slaves could stay on their journey north to freedom. She was known as the" Moses of her people". In order to have carryed out this operation, Harriet Tubman had to have a singleness of heart for the purpose of what she was doing and for the people. Also, the people whom she helped also had to have a singleness of heart for her to accomplish her goal. When I say singleness of heart, I mean that their hearts,as well as Harriet Tubman's heart, had to be focused on the goal of freedom. In addition, they had to operate out of love and concern for one another. Wouldn't it be great if we were always on one accord in the Body of Christ? Wouldn't it be great if we did not fight over the way communion and baptism is done, while the people in our own neighborhoods go hungry? Wouldn't it be great if some ministers were not money and power hungry, while people in their congregations are losing their jobs? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all came together today and clothed every homeless child in America? This could all still happen, but it would mean a complete heart change for us. It would mean that we would have to radically realign our purposes and desires toward God. It would mean we would have to love God above all else. Here are some things below that we can truly put into action to develop true singleness of heart for God below: 1) Let God Change The Way You Think: As a man thinketh so is he. Your mind is a battlefield that the enemy uses to try to entice you into deception. All it takes is you feeding into one suggestion from Satan to plant a seed. Cursing out your neighbor often starts with a thought and then works it's way into your heart. But as you meditate on the Word of God your spirit will get stronger and your thoughts will change. I encourage you to read Matthew Chapter 4 and see the importance of the word of God to resist the devil... Jesus used the Word! 2) Guard Your Heart: Your heart is your life flow. When something gets to your heart it's going to have a positive or negative effect. Do not let just anything or anyone into your heart. Often people go off of emotions and assume that God is speaking to their hearts, when it's really lust or their feelings. Guard your heart. 3) Have Purpose: We all have a purpose in life. If you do not know your purpose, ask the one who created you what it is. You do not need to ask a psychic. God knows all about you. Your purpose fuels your passion. Your purpose is where your creativity flows and your abilities flourish. God needs you to walk in your purpose here on earth. 4) Walk In Love: Love is the foundation for everything. Without love, nothing else you do will mean a thing. Just as a brave woman led people to freedom many years ago, so shall we be filled with purpose and love as we lead people to freedom through God's love. Amen. Heavenly Father, May your love inspire me to step out in faith and trust you to accomplish your great purpose for my life through me. I pray for singleness of heart as I operate in passion and love and seek to bring hope to a dying world, in Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author. Today you can make the most important decision of your life by accepting Jesus as Lord of your life. Please pray this prayer: "Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending your only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins. Lord I repent of all sin and ask Jesus into my heart. Thank you Lord Jesus for saving my soul and making me whole. Amen." If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations! You are born again and are now apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed. Please email me at: brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 09/09/08 Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Infatuation. # Brandon Bracey Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotion: Infatuation Scripture NKJV Matthew 22: 37," Jesus said to him," You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul,and with all your mind." It is so crazy when I think back to a situation in which I was dating a very beautiful woman. She was very easy on the eyes and I loved to look at her. I remember when I saw her how gorgeous she was! I brought her flowers, and took her out to eat. I wrote her some of the most emotional letters. I even told her over the phone how much I loved her. But there was a problem. I thought I was in love, but I was not. I had idealized this person to be something she was not. To me she was a beauty queen who I could look at all day. But I forgot she was a human being who deserved to have a man who was willing to get to know her. I did not want a relationship with her, because I was not willing to get to know her past her beauty. However, I was willing to use her to get my physical lust for her fed. Actually, I was infatuated with this woman. The definition of infatuated is to inspire or possess with a foolish or unreasoning admiration or love. The word infatuation gets it roots in a latin word, infature, which literally means to become foolish. I was infatuated with her, but I could not truly love her because I did not take the time to develop a relationship with her. I was foolish in this assessment. Sadly, things ended between us because we really had no relationship in the end. See, people often assume they love someone, but often they do not know what love is. You may love the man's money that you are dating, but do you truly love him? You may love her coke bottle figure, but do you truly know her? You may love her cooking, but if she starts giving you leftovers will you be out the door? It's the same way people are with God. So many are infatuated with God, but do not truly love him. They enjoy the awesome majesty and splendor of God, but when it is time to develop a relationship they are out of the door. Why? Because to develop a relationship with God it takes sacrificing your time, dying to your own desires, and being obedient to his instruction for your life. Infatuation got you a few kisses and hugs with God, but you never fell in love. God's love for you is "agape" or undying and unconditional. But your love for him has been fake, because you are unwilling to lay down your life for him. You claim to love him when you want something though. Infatuation can never be a true substitute for love. Love is lasting, caring, and willing to go through the ups and downs. Love is sharing, compassionate, thoughful, and gentle. Love is patient and kind. Infatuation on the other hand is a response to a person based on your initial adrenaline flow of feelings. Infatuation never gets past the surface of who someone is. Here are some ways below to step out of infatuation and into true love for God: 1) Get Intimate With Him: I always talk about intimacy because intimacy brings us into a deeper relationship with God than just on the surface. Intimacy causes you to hear the heartbeat of God and truly desire to live for him. Intimacy causes you to run to God every day and realize that you are nothing without him. You become intimate with God by talking with him( prayer), learning about him(bible study), sharing about him( fellowship),focusing your mind on him(fasting), being in his presence,and allowing God to work through you to advance his Kingdom on the earth. 2) Pursue Him: Passion is fueled by pursuit. Just like a man who pursues the woman he wants, we must pursue God with a passion. When we stop the pursuit, the passion starts to fade away. When you passionately pursue God and get intimate with him, you will find yourself growing more and more in love with God everyday. Don't be infatuated, instead be real. Amen. Heavenly Father, I want to draw closer to you. I am tired of my walk with you being lukewarm. Draw me near to you Lord. I will pursue you with all my heart. My soul yearns for you. In Jesus name, Amen. Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author Today you can make the most important decision of your life by accepting Jesus as Lord of your life. Please pray this prayer: "Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending your only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins. Lord I repent of all sin and ask Jesus into my heart. Thank you Lord Jesus for saving my soul and making me whole. Amen." If you have just prayed this prayer, congratulations! You are born again and are now apart of the Family of God! The next step is to get into a good bible based church where the Word of God is proclaimed. Please email me at: brandon_bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning! Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions On Ryze! http://brandonbracey-network.ryze.com Post Reply    Reply by Private Message (new win) 1 - 20 of 1,426  | Previous  Next  [ First | Last ]

Ryze Admin - Support   |   About Ryze © Ryze Limited. Ryze is a trademark of Ryze Limited.  Terms of Service, including the Privacy Policy