Author

Matt Brown

Matt Brown is an evangelist, author of Truth Plus Love, host of Think Eternity with Matt Brown, and founder of Think Eternity — a ministry sharing powerful faith content through podcasts, blogs, videos, outreaches and more. Matt and his wife Michelle have three children and live near Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Faith

Why We Need To Keep Coming Back To The Word of God

by Matt Brown October 18, 2021

written by Matt Brown

The Bible is life-changing. Not only does reading, and responding to God’s Word change our lives today, but it can continue to change our lives as we keep coming back to it over and over throughout our lives. It’s not enough just to have the Word, but we need to incorporate the habit into our lives to keep coming back to the Word.

God’s Word is where the power is.

R.A. Torrey shared what has become one of my favorite quotes, “People who pray for power but neglect the Bible abound in the church. But the power that belongs to God is stored up in the great reservoir of His own Word, the Bible. We cannot obtain or maintain God’s power in our own lives or in our work unless there is deep and frequent meditation on the Word of God.”

Torrey was a longtime ministry associate of D.L. Moody. Moody also had a passion for God’s Word, and based his whole ministry on it. In one of my favorite stories about D.L. Moody, he shares: “A quickening that will last must come through the word of God. A man stood up in one of our meetings and said he hoped for enough out of the series of meetings to last him all his life. I told him he might as well try to eat enough breakfast at one time to last him a lifetime. That is a mistake that people are making; they are running to religious meetings, and they think the meetings are going to do the work. But if these don’t bring you into closer contact with the word of God, the whole impression will be gone in three months.”

If we really want to grow in our Christian lives, we need to keep coming back to the Word of God.

It’s not enough to read the Bible once and then move on. We need daily manna from heaven that God only gives us in the form of coming back to His Word over and over.

Your Bible is living and active.
Often when you become a student of the Bible, and you read it over and over again through the years, different Scriptures stand out to you at different times. God’s Word is living and active, and speaks to us what we desperately need to hear at just the right moment.

God’s Word is also living and active in our hearts when we memorize it, and meditate on it. To meditate on the Word of God means to let it roll over and over again in your heart and mind until it get’s deep into your spirit. It is one thing to get into the Word of God, but it is another thing to let the Word of God get into you. I spend much of my life as a ministry, throughout my day thinking on the Word of God, and what God wants to say into the chaos, dysfunction and brokenness of our world. I meditate and ponder what God might be saying, and what He might want me to say to bring hope and truth into a world that needs Him so badly.

We need to keep reminding our own heart of what God has said.

It is important to keep coming back to the Word of God because the Bible tells us the importance of getting reminded of what God has said:

“For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.” (2 Peter 1:12-15)

It is good to be reminded of what God has said, and we do this by coming back to the Word over and over, so our life can keep being changed.

Matt Brown is an evangelist, author of Truth Plus Love, host of Think Eternity with Matt Brown, and founder of Think Eternity — a ministry dedicated to amplifying the gospel every day through podcasts, devotionals, videos, live events and more. Matt and his wife Michelle have three children.

Dads, Your Words are Powerful

by Matt Brown October 17, 2021

written by Matt Brown

Dads have an incredible influence on their kids. Don’t get me wrong, Moms do too. Each parent’s influence is unique and profound.

I will never forget the experiences of having each of our three children. The life-altering love that washed over me the first time I held each of our children in my arms. You know when you hold your child close for the first time, that you will never be the same. You are now living for something beyond yourself. With everything inside of you, you long to love, protect and care for them with everything you have.

The Bible’s #1 warning to Dads
Over the years, in the press of life, different emotions can come out than just that simple, pure-hearted love the first time you held your newborn child.

The Bible’s primary warning to Dads also seems to line up as the number one challenge for most dads when it comes to raising their children. Ephesians 6:4 tells us, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Colossians 3:21 doubles this up, saying “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”

Dads, your words to your children are powerful. You often don’t get to take your words back – once they are spoken to your child, they go deep into their spirit. It is imperative that you always remember to be careful what you say, and how you treat your children. Be careful in your discipline of them, that you don’t lose their spirit.

The Bible warns against provoking our children and diminishing their spirits. It is often when we are angry, harsh or lose our temper that we say things we don’t mean that we provoke our children. This causes us little by little to lose our influence with our children, and their view of us as their earthly father also deeply affects their view of God as their heavenly Father.

What causes our anger?
Oftentimes our emotions pile up throughout the day. I know as a dad, that all sorts of things can get me frustrated or stressed out:

Men often love to take on more work than they can handle, causing them to be stressed out and short-fused.

Reading the news can get me angry, frustrated or anxious.
When I am over-worked and over-stressed it is easier for me to get angry about silly things.
When I don’t give myself margin in life, it is easier to be short and rash with my kids.
Dads often expect a lot from their kids, and this discipline and expectation can sometimes come out in the wrong ways.

This is especially the case during times like these in a global pandemic when our jobs are disrupted and our income is uncertain. In moments of uncertainty there is an extra pressure on Dads that can result in it being more difficult to watch our words and our attitudes toward our children. Many children are being homeschooled and many parents are working from home. This disruption of normal rhythm can be great for some, but very difficult for others. It is important that you are extra careful with how you are talking to your children during this time, and any other times like it. It is important that you watch your margin, your stress levels and take care of yourself emotionally, so you can take good care of your family.

Dads, speak life over your children

It’s been said that it’s not so much about the big moments of life, but what you do daily that matters and makes the biggest difference. Knowing how powerful your words are to your children, make it a priority to speak life over your children everyday.

If you don’t tell your children often, begin to take the step to tell them you love them and that you are proud of them.
If you are the kind of dad who showers on praise, don’t stop. Any time you have a chance, tell your children how special and important they are to you.
Ask your children questions about their day and learn to listen to them more, and hear their heart.
If you have spoken to them harshly, and said things you regret, almost nothing is as powerful as an apology. This doesn’t excuse you to continue losing your temper, but apologizing is always a good idea.

Dads, know that God has given you the high and holy responsibility of raising your kids, and He has given you a tremendous influence in their lives with your words and attitude toward them. God clearly shows us in His Word what will be our biggest challenge and stumbling block as Dads. So let’s take care to watch for it! May you have God’s incredible love and heart for your children, may you be their biggest encourager, and may God use you mightily in their live to speak goodness, encouragement and life over them!

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Matt Brown is an evangelist, author of Truth Plus Love, host of Think Eternity with Matt Brown, and founder of Think Eternity — a ministry dedicated to amplifying the gospel every day through podcasts, devotionals, videos, live events and more. Matt and his wife Michelle have three children.

Four Truths About God’s Provision

by Matt Brown October 3, 2021

written by Matt Brown

When you put your faith in Christ, God commissions himself to protect, provide, and care for you (Philippians 4:19). God always provides for his children, though often it is not in the way we expect or hope.

The challenge is for us to see his provision and care, even when it is different than we expect. Because God is God, his ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). But he graciously gives us insight into what he is doing in the Scriptures.

John Piper says, “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, but you may be aware of three of them.” Over and over again, Jesus’s disciples missed what he was doing right in front of them. They missed the point of the miracles. They missed the lessons. Which should give us hope for our own lack of clarity today. Here are four important encouragements about how God provides and cares for you.

1. God May Provide Differently Than We Expect
The Israelites escaped captivity in Egypt only to face the challenges of the desert. One of the biggest challenges for such a large group of nomads was enough food to eat. Over and over again God provided supernaturally for his people. If God could provide for many thousands of Israelites in the middle of a desert, he can surely provide for you and your family’s needs. One of the precious testimonies of Scripture is, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25).

But even with God’s supernatural provision, the Israelites still complained and grumbled in the desert. They longed for the food they left behind in Egypt. God was literally providing bread from heaven — enough for each day — but they wanted his provision a different way. They wanted it their own way.

This lesson has spoken to me over the years. Ask God to provide for you in whatever way he deems fit. Don’t grumble against God’s supernatural, unexpected ways.

Maybe you are at a job and doing work different than what you had expected or hoped for. Don’t always wish for something different. Don’t constantly dream about being somewhere else, doing something else. Be present. Give your all to your current job, and always be thankful (1 Thessalonians 5:18). This doesn’t mean you can’t move towards the job of your dreams, but it might inspire the faith to stop complaining about the way God has provided for you in the current moment, and instead invest yourself fully wherever you are.

2. God Provides More of Himself
Our greatest need is for more of God, and this is something he gladly gives us.

“Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9–11)

Scripture tells us to make the pursuit of God the primary function of our lives. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

John Piper has asked, “What is the deepest root of your joy? What God gives to you? Or what God is to you?” God graciously guides us into a greater realization that our ultimate need is for more of his word, more of his ways—more of him.

3. God’s Ultimate Provision Has Already Been Given in the Gospel
We ask God for many things, but the greatest thing we could ever receive from him has already been given. What God has given us in the gospel is light-years ahead of every other provision and care we could ever seek from him. When we trust in Christ, we have decisively secured for us every ultimately good thing from him. It’s just a matter of time.

James 1:17 reminds us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Every truly good thing in our lives comes straight from the Father. The ultimate good he provided us, through whom much of the other good things come to us, is Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate treasure.

4. God Provides Finally in Eternity
Hebrews 11 gives us two different perspectives on God’s provision and care for us. Some, by faith, came through this life victorious, while others lost their lives. Both are commended for their mighty faith.

God does not always provide and care for us in ways we might expect in this life. The Bible does not promise this. Peter, James, John, and Paul gave their very lives for the gospel. They viewed the gospel as a treasure not to be lost at any cost. They suffered gladly because they had something in the gospel that had far more worth.

This life is fleeting. This life is fragile. This life is but a vapor’s breath. The next life, the age to come, is where all God’s provision and care for us will ultimately make sense and come together as a whole.

We may not receive healing in this life, but we will receive perfect healing in eternity. We may not see answers to our greatest prayers in this life, but we will receive fully in eternity. Some days God’s provision and care may seem distant, but it will be ever-present in eternity. We long for our world to stop raging and be at peace, but ultimate peace will only come in eternity.

Our hearts ache under the pressures of this life, but it is only because we were made for another world. We are sojourners and aliens on this earth. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

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Matt Brown (@evangelistmatt) is an evangelist, author, and founder of Think Eternity. Along with his wife, Michelle, and the staff and volunteers of Think Eternity, millions of people are impacted with the gospel each year online and through live events. We also minister to more than two million followers on social media daily.

Do You Pray Like The Bible?

by Matt Brown August 30, 2021

written by Matt Brown

Have you ever wondered if your prayer life looks like the people in the Bible? This question surprised me over the past several years. I grew up in church, but haven’t often stopped to consider the types of prayers the leaders prayed in the Bible.

Prayer is a very important habit.

Prayer is mentioned throughout the New Testament hundreds of times, and the Scripture tells us that prayer is supposed to be an integral part of our life as a follower of Jesus.

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” (James 5:13)
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

Prayer was important to Jesus.

The Bible also shows us prayer as an important habit in the life of Jesus:

“And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.” (Matthew 14:23)
“It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)
“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
“So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)

If Jesus prayed this much, how much more do we need to pray!

Prayer is something we can all use more of.

Prayer isn’t just for the most spiritual Christians. Prayer is something all of us can learn to do more of, and the more we learn the better off we will be. Henrietta Mears once said, “Christianity isn’t adding a burden to your life, it is adding power.” And the power that belongs to God comes to us through reading the Bible, seeking Him in prayer, the fellowship of the local Church, and submitting our hearts to God’s will.

Let’s learn to pray more like the Bible.

We see how important prayer is in the Bible, but how should we pray? I have been surprised to think of some of my prayers, in context of how the early leaders of the church prayed in the Bible. The more we learn to pray the Bible, and to pray like the Bible teaches us to pray, the better off we will be.

Consider some of these prayers in the New Testament:

Paul thanked God for people often. (See Romans 1:8-10)
Paul prayed for our knowledge of God to grow. (See Ephesians 1:17)
Paul prayed for our joy, peace and hope. (See Romans 15:13)
Paul prayed we would live in peace and unity with other believers. (See Romans 15:5-6)
Paul prayed for us to experience God’s power in our lives. (See Ephesians 3:16)
Paul prayed that our love for others would grow. (See Philippians 1:9)

These are just a sampling of the powerful apostolic prayers in the New Testament. I don’t know about you, but they are so different than the way I would naturally pray!

Now that we can see more of the prayers of the people in the Bible, it would be highly beneficial to begin to model more of our prayers after these powerful prayers!

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Read more on the GOD TV blog – godtv.com

Watch GOD TV – god.tv

August 30, 2021 0 comment

Faith

Four Truths About God’s Provision

by Matt Brown August 29, 2021

written by Matt Brown

1. God May Provide Differently Than We Expect

The Israelites escaped captivity in Egypt only to face the challenges of the desert. One of the biggest challenges for such a large group of nomads was enough food to eat. Over and over again God provided supernaturally for his people. If God could provide for many thousands of Israelites in the middle of a desert, he can surely provide for you and your family’s needs. One of the precious testimonies of Scripture is, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25).

This lesson has spoken to me over the years. Ask God to provide for you in whatever way he deems fit. Don’t grumble against God’s supernatural, unexpected ways.

2. God Provides More of Himself

Our greatest need is for more of God, and this is something he gladly gives us.

“Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9–11)

3. God’s Ultimate Provision Has Already Been Given in the Gospel

We ask God for many things, but the greatest thing we could ever receive from him has already been given. What God has given us in the gospel is light-years ahead of every other provision and care we could ever seek from him. When we trust in Christ, we have decisively secured for us every ultimately good thing from him. It’s just a matter of time.

4. God Provides Finally in Eternity

Hebrews 11 gives us two different perspectives on God’s provision and care for us. Some, by faith, came through this life victorious, while others lost their lives. Both are commended for their mighty faith.

Read more on the GOD TV blog – godtv.com

Watch GOD TV – god.tv

August 29, 2021 0 comment

Faith

Find Fulfillment By Subscribing To the Right Voices

by Matt Brown August 2, 2021

written by Matt Brown

It is not enough to hear powerful faith content one time, we need to be reminded of God’s Word regularly, and we need to return to our fulfillment in God over and over throughout our lives. God doesn’t call us to a one-time decision of faith, but to a life of walking by faith day in and day out where we will experience a growing experience of fulfillment in Him.

Scripture says, “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.” (2 Peter 1:12) Several times, Peter talks about the importance of being reminded…even of what we already know.

One of the most important spiritual keys you will ever hear is the importance of continually getting reminders of powerful spiritual truths.

Peter is telling us to make it a habit. Many of us have habits we don’t think about, like pouring a cup of coffee in the morning, or praying before a meal. We need to set a precedent in our lives of continually returning to this all important habit of hearing powerful spiritual truths over and over to remind our hearts to return and connect with our fulfillment in God.

There are so many voices shouting at us so loudly these days. No other generation has had as much content as we have. Dave Ferguson has written that one email from a major news corporation contains more information that a person in 17^th Century England was likely to encounter in a lifetime. Our attention spans may be shorter than ever, but we take in more content than past generations simply by picking up our phone and scrolling through social media throughout the day. Do you ever scroll through social media for a few minutes, and just feel icky inside, and you’re not sure why? There are so many things we read in a brief second and scroll by that affect us emotionally, and we don’t ever stop to process these feelings. Then these emotions build and we suddenly find ourselves overwhelmed by the cares and pressures of life.

This is why we need to make sure we are subscribed to the right voices. Mainly, we need powerful faith content in our lives that helps us return from the cares and pressures of life to our fulfillment of God. And more than any news, celebrity or popular pastor – we primarily need the habit of hearing the Word of God. Only God’s Word promises to not return void. Only God’s Word will go on forever.

We don’t need another word from the world. We need to establish ways to continually be reminded by powerful faith content – of our fulfillment in God, and of His Word to us each day.

Take a Step: Think of one news source or person you follow that you should unsubscribe to, in order to bring more peace into your life. Think of one person you should subscribe to, to remind you of fulfillment in God. More importantly, begin a habit of getting into the Word of God each day.

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4 Reasons Why Christians Can Be Calm In A Crazy World

by Matt Brown July 1, 2019

written by Matt Brown

For the Christian, there should be an overwhelming and pervasive sense of wellbeing and peace, no matter what goes on in our world. Let’s take time out to step outside the chaos of politics, work, disappointments, stress, discouragement, and any burdens we might have.

Let’s step into a spirit of thankfulness, peace, and tranquility that comes only from our Father above. Here are four good reasons why Christians can stay positive and calm even when our world seems to be falling apart:

1. God is Sovereign

Over the chaos of our world, God will always reign Sovereign.

God is writing the story, even the story of our world’s leaders (Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 2:21; Romans 13:1). God’s Sovereignty won’t always make sense to us, but the truth of God’s Sovereignty should serve to remind us the world will never spin out of God’s control.

We need to return to Isaiah’s vision of God high and lifted up. Our holy God, high and mighty, who is not surprised when the world rages (Psalm 2:1-6). He alone is holy. He alone is worthy. He alone rules over all.

2. We already know how the story ends

We already know how our story ends. We have an inheritance because of what Christ has done for us. We are headed for glory.

Eric Geiger wrote:

“God has designed the end and the in between. The end is people from every tribe, tongue, and nation gathered around the throne worshipping Him because they were purchased with the blood of Christ (see Rev. 5:9–10). Regardless of what happens this week, what unfolds in the news, the ending has already been made clear: God is redeeming for Himself a people from all peoples.”

3. God calls us to walk in His peace

Jesus says in the midst of our divided political season in the US, and in every other season:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Judah Smith writes in his book, “How much of the pain and suffering in the world is caused by humans willfully pursuing their own desires? Peace—that essential, elusive, universal need of mankind—is restored to us in Jesus. God’s peace is first and foremost peace with him. It is an internal, spiritual wellness that is the foundation for peace in every other area.”

God calls us to walk in His peace, not add our voices to the world’s chaos. Now this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t speak truth to culture. There are times for this, but our tone, motivations and heart should be completely opposite of this world.

Listen to a few challenges from God’s Word about how people of peace should live and look:

“It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” (Ephesians 5:12) God is calling believers today to a greater level of purity. We don’t need to hear and pass on everything that others do wrong. We need to take a step back, and live like we are from a different Kingdom all together!

“With our tongue we bless God, and then curse men who are made in the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This should not be!” (James 3:9-10) Christians cannot be people who curse the darkness, but rather those who light a candle. We don’t fight darkness with darkness. We must be people who praise God, and meditate on and say praiseworthy things.

“Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” (Proverbs 17:28) There is godly wisdom in not responding to everything in our culture. We should have the discipline to hold our tongues and social media posts, and not say everything that comes to our minds.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

In this passage, God’s peace is not given by default, but by directing our thoughts to what is true, pure and praiseworthy. When we exhibit self control in our thoughts, and don’t let culture flood our thoughts with fear and worry, then God’s peace will reign in us instead. And we will fundamentally look different in our opinions and responses than the culture around us.

It shows the glory of God when Christians watch culture rage, and yet don’t feel the need to speak to all of it.

Instead, we weep and pray, simply trusting the One who is sovereign to work on our behalf and glorify His Name in the midst of it all. Instead, we live and act like people of a different Kingdom all together. And the darkness of our time causes our light to shine even brighter.

Instead of hate, we promote love. Instead of cutting words, we show honor to all. Instead of lifting up wickedness, we live with utmost purity and do not even defile ourselves by wasting time learning about what our culture does wrong. We live, and breathe and act as those from a different Kingdom.

In order to become this kind of Christian, we start by muting those voices and media in our lives that stir up our anger. We weren’t made to live in toxic emotions but in the peace of God. We shut off the TV, unfollow the twitter & facebook accounts that draw us to anger and hatred, and we open the Word of God to gain an eternal perspective – and God’s peace invades our weary souls.

4. We believe in the God who redeems the very worst hearts

We serve a God who turns things around. A God of the comeback. A God of the resurrection. And His resurrection power lives and dwells inside of us. Our hope knows no bounds, because it rests in a boundless God!

Half of our New Testament is written by Paul who did worse things than almost anyone in our world today. And God redeemed Him. This is the God we serve!

Throughout human history, God has worked on behalf of His people whose hearts were His. He has done mighty wonders. He has turned nations around. He has moved in power as His gospel was proclaimed. He has built His Church, and the gates of hell have not, nor will ever, prevail against it.

A different way forward

What if?

What if we were the people to express our hope and peace in God right now, in the midst of one of the seemingly most confusing and frustrating political atmospheres in American history?

What if we showed honor for all politicians and all people – even those on the other side of the aisle (1 Peter 2:17), and stopped adding to the noise of hate, disrespect and warring words.

What if we walked in the peace of God. A calm and stillness in a time where it seems we should be doing anything but this. How would God’s peace in us shine the glory of God in a dark world?

July 1, 2019 1 comment

Faith

How To Navigate Transitions In Life

by Matt Brown February 18, 2019

written by Matt Brown

Over the years, I’ve watched as friends have transitioned between jobs and opportunities. I myself have experienced my fair share of transition and with it can come a sense of loss.

It can be deeply unsettling when you move on from a job or opportunity that you have invested your heart and soul into. Transition is inevitable. Nowadays, the younger generation is experiencing vocational transition at a much quicker rate than past generations, and with it, they know this sense of loss well.

In seasons of transition, remind yourself of these 4 truths. They can bring stability and hope:

1. DON’T CRY BECAUSE IT’S OVER, SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED

This is a great mantra. We cannot control everything in our lives. We cannot guarantee which opportunities will stay or go.

But we can celebrate the opportunities and successes that have come our way. We can thank God for His gracious provision, even after we’ve moved on from a job or opportunity.

Life is so much about perspective, and having a healthy perspective will help us in countless ways. God wants to give us a perspective of gratitude, no matter what transitions come our way.

2. YOUR IDENTITY IS NEVER WHAT YOU DO, YOUR IDENTITY IS A CHILD OF GOD

As a Christian, your life is now defined by what Christ has done for you. He has adopted you into the family of God (see Ephesians 1:5). You are loved, valued and given a great purpose in the kingdom of God (see 1 John 3:1).

No matter the jobs, roles, opportunities or titles you have in life, those are simply a side-note to a much greater title God has given you: a child of God.

No opportunity in this life can come close to what God has already given you when you received the Gospel.

So you can walk everyday in an unshakeable identity and purpose as His child. Transition may discourage you for a moment, but it cannot keep you down for long, because God has a greater purpose on your life.

3. GOD IS WORKING OUT HIS GOOD PURPOSES FOR YOU

It’s important to remember that God is just as invested in helping us fulfill his purposes for our lives, as we are.

The Bible tells us that God cares about the details of our lives (see Psalm 37:23) and he is preparing us for the good works He has prepared in advance for us to do (see Ephesians 2:10).

You can rest at night, and sleep in peace even in the middle of a transition (see Psalm 127:2) because God is looking out for you, and will help and strengthen you when your heart is His.

4. THE BEST IS YET TO COME

As a Christian, we can always say “the best is yet to come.”

Adoniram Judson, a missionary to Burma for forty years once said, “The future is as bright as the promises of God.”

This isn’t to say life will always be easy. In fact, the Christian message is that this life will sometimes be difficult and painful. But Christ offers us comfort in this life, and an eternal hope that goes way beyond the pain of this life.

So the future is as bright as the promises of God, and the promises we have in the gospel are the brightest of all.

I do believe that God works to provide for our needs in this life, and he works to use us for great Kingdom purposes if we are willing.

This doesn’t necessarily mean we will have greater and greater income or opportunity, but it does mean He cares for us deeply as our Heavenly Father and works to meet our needs, though not necessarily all our “wants”.

But more importantly, God wants to give us something far greater than money or opportunity – an internal well being and heart-peace no matter our circumstances in this life.

When I look at the life of Paul, he faced an incredible amount of persecution for his faith, as he lived out his calling from God and spread the gospel. God did provide for him in many ways in his ministry, but ultimately, his hope, joy and peace in God’s promises was steadfast beyond the circumstances of his life. A pastor once said, “The good news of the gospel is that, no matter your circumstances in life, you get Jesus.” Paul exhibited this understanding – many of his most hopeful letters were written from a prison cell or while under house arrest. Paul saw a hope, joy, and peace that was tangible in Jesus, despite the hardships and adversity he continually faced. God wants to give us this same hope, joy and peace no matter our circumstances.

God gives us a bright hope in the gospel, no matter our transitions in life. He will take care of us. If he was willing to give His Son for us, how much more will he take care of our needs in times of transition (see Romans 8:32).

February 18, 2019 0 comment

Articles

5 Signs Of Maturity In Christ

by Matt Brown February 10, 2019

written by Matt Brown

I’ve written a lot about spiritual growth and spiritual maturity. The Bible makes it clear that we can grow in our faith and in holiness. It is not a linear path, where we are continually helpless and have no part to play. God tells us we can make steps forward towards Him, and is always calling us closer, deeper into His ways.

In fact, growing closer to the Lord is the most important thing in your life. More important than reaching your dreams or even fulfilling your calling. Everything you do in life flows from everything you are in Christ.

The Bible clearly distinguishes between those who are spiritually mature and immature. The Bible is full of examples of the immaturity of believers that came to Christ throughout the known world. Paul and the other Apostles wrote to them in letters that make up our New Testament, and address some major failures, flaws, and struggles. Reading about some of these actually give us hope for our own lives today!

There are many areas that go into maturity in Christ, but here are 5 few key signs you are growing mature in Christ:

1. You embrace truth

Mature Christians receive the truths of the Gospel as it was passed down to them.

A faithful follower of Christ doesn’t add to or take away from the Word of God. You are not the Message, and you play no part in the Message. You are simply the messenger. In the words of Greg Laurie, “you are simply God’s paperboy,” delivering the newspaper the declares the Message about Christ and His ways.

The Apostle Paul goes so far as to say, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8)

Paul is literally saying that even if he himself strays from the pure message about Christ and His teaching, stop listening to Him! Clearly, he desired to pass on the Message of Christ in all it’s purity, because that is where the power is.

We see this with denominations that are moving away from core aspects of the gospel – for instance, those who say it’s okay to live in sin and not repent. Their adherents implode within just a few years, because when you take away the core of the Message, you take away the power of the Holy Spirit to change hearts and lives, and there is nothing left to stick around for.

There is Holy Spirit power when we preach the Gospel as it was passed down to us through the scriptures.

Paul tells us to establish those foundational teachings about Christ, and continue from there to grow to maturity: “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.” (Hebrews 6:3)

2. You confess your sin

Mature Christians stop pointing out everyone else’s sins, and start confessing their own.

A former professor used to say, “I know I am experiencing a fresh touch of God when I stop confessing everyone else’s sins and start confessing my own sins.”

DL Moody said, “I’ve had more trouble with myself than any other man I’ve ever met.”

Jesus spoke like this. He taught us: “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. You will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1-5)

A mature Christian comes to this place where they finally see their own glaring sins and continually focus on repenting in their own lives, and stop trying to be the watchdogs of the world. They understand the weakness of their own flesh.

There are moments to speak truth to others, and to the world, but those should be much fewer and far between as we focus on our own hearts foremost.

Mature Christians are much more gracious judges of others because those words of Jesus have struck their heart, and they will never be the same.

3. You use Godly words

Mature Christians watch their words, and know when not to speak. Immature Christians can’t help but speak their opinions on everything and everyone around them who goes the wrong way. They think they are the world’s spiritual police.

James, known as being one of the deeply mature, early Christians says: “Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.” (James 3:2)

This passage is extremely sobering – first, because James calls it as it is – we all make way more mistakes than we care to admit.

Secondly, spiritual maturity comes through being more careful about the words we say.

Ephesians 4:29 4:2-3 take us further: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” and “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

If you long to mature in your faith in Christ, live in these verses. Pass everything else that you do in your Christian life through them. Walking in humility, gentleness, patience for others. Keep a careful guard over your mouth and your online posts.

4. You are dependent on Jesus

Mature Christians are less dependent on themselves, and increasingly dependent on Christ. Mature Christians do not make much of themselves and their good works and progress. They make much of Jesus.

They believe Jesus when He said:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:1-15, Read the full chapter)

Even while mature Christians are growing in faith and holiness, they do not grow more dependent on themselves, because they know their growth comes through abiding in Christ – dependency on Christ alone – and obedience to His command to love God and love others. Mature Christians don’t take credit for themselves, they humbly follow Jesus.

5. You are growing in faith

Mature Christians make every effort to build on their faith. As I said at the beginning of this article, we need to guard ourselves against a fatalistic attitude in our faith. The Bible says we can grow and take steps closer to Christ.

The good news is “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” (James 4:8) As we take steps closer to God, we experience His goodness, grace and glory in our lives in new ways.

The Apostle Peter tells us:

“Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-11)

These are qualities that a mature christian strives for:

Faith, goodness, knowledge of God from His Word, self-control, perseverance through hardships, godliness (imitating Christ), mutual affection for other believers and for the Church, doing our best to love other people (both Christians and non-Christians) well according to 1 Corinthians 13.

Mature Christians don’t sit idle in their faith, and assume God will do all the work inside them, when God has clearly called them to “make every effort” to draw near to Him.

February 10, 2019 0 comment

Articles

8 Habits Of Healthy Spiritual Leaders

by Matt Brown February 3, 2019

written by Matt Brown

God calls, prepares, and empowers spiritual leaders to lead His Church. Spiritual leadership is not a job for everybody. While every Christian is called to follow Christ wholeheartedly, and make an impact on the world around them – some are called to equip the Body of Christ as spiritual leaders.

Spiritual leadership is vitally important. People rise and fall to the level of our leadership. People are drawn into the Kingdom, and drawn into Christian service because of faithful, healthy spiritual leadership.

It is so important for those God calls to spiritual leadership to be eager to grow into everything God calls them to be.

WE ARE CALLED BY A GREAT GOD – MAY WE NEVER BE STAGNANT OR HALF-HEARTED IN THAT CALLING!

Here are 8 habits every spiritual leader should attain:

1. WALK WITH GOD

Spiritual leadership is primarily about walking with God. It is His Kingdom, and His reign that we are seeking to establish, not our own. We must keep our hearts daily submissive to His Word and rule in our lives. We should seek to know Him more, and then make Him known to those we lead.

The primary way we walk with God is through engagement with His Word: reading, meditating, applying His eternal wisdom to our daily lives of spiritual leadership.

Spiritual leaders need to seek God more than they seek ministry. Their first priority everyday should be to know God more, to follow Him more wholeheartedly, to grow in their knowledge of Him.

God may have called them to influence others for the sake of the gospel, but they know closeness to and obedience to God is the prize they are after. If Jesus isn’t the prize, you are running the wrong race.

2. TAKE IN MORE THAN YOU GIVE OUT

As spiritual leaders, we should seek inner growth of character, wisdom and obedience more than outer growth of ministry impact. Yes, we want both, but we need to watch closely that we are in the Word of God, reading good books, spending time around mentors, as well as watching the overall health of our soul, relationships and emotions more than we are giving out.

This can be tricky for Pastors who are preaching every week. Sundays come with surprising regularity. But simple ways to work toward this end would be:

Set time for healthy growth habits once a week
Plan growth time in your schedule just like you plan out your to-do list
Schedule another pastor to preach once or twice a month in your place to give your more time for intake than giving out.

What we don’t want as spiritual leaders is to sound like broken records. Yes, we have specific gifts we will camp on, and we drip vision continually, but God forbid we preach on the same themes week after week because we aren’t growing. This is one reason why expository preaching is so beneficial. We move beyond our personal gifting, and into God’s abundant Word which covers areas we would never think to cover.

3. SET HEALTHY MARGINS

We must realize and admit that we cannot do everything. For everything we say “yes” to, we are inadvertently saying “no” to something else. So be careful what you say “yes” to. Try to say “yes” to more of the right stuff – stuff in your strength zone, stuff that only you can do, and then either delegate to other leaders, or say “no” when appropriate.

Margin in the life of the leader allows space for creativity to flourish, thinking and decision-making to be possible, helps highlight the important over the urgent, and keeps you enjoying life and leadership over the long haul.

For some of you, you need to do way less unimportant work. For others, you just need to plan an hour or two a day where nothing is scheduled, and be mindful at how much overcrowding you are doing on your daily task list – does it overflow into all hours of the day, everyday? Are you keeping healthy expectations for how much you can accomplish each day?

At some point, you have to happily put your unfinished work down until tomorrow, and head home to be fully present with, and fully enjoy your family.

4. ESTABLISH HEALTHY RHYTHMS

It is not good to go through life and leadership always in 5th gear. We need to be mindful of our exhaustion and motivation levels, and refill our tank with rest, connection with others, and healthy rhythms so we can be effective spiritual leadership for the long haul.

There will be seasons that are busier than others, and in those times we need to watch for and guard our rhythms (healthy habits, time with family, etc).

There will be seasons that will be slower than others, and in those moments we should not wish them by, but soak in rest to get ready for the next stage of the journey.

5. FIND HEALTHY OUTLETS FOR STRESS

We are often slow to realize we need a break, or are living at an unhealthy pace. As spiritual leaders, we need to live out what we believe and teach. This is our greatest test.

As stress builds, and work hurls at us at a consistently overwhelming pace, we can find ourselves exhausted, discouraged, not fully processing pain or rejection. We need healthy, godly outlets for the daily stresses of spiritual leadership, otherwise we may find ourselves in unhealthy or ungodly outlets.

More than a decade ago, a pastor in Colorado told us their story about how they were running on all cylinders for an unrealistic period of time. Their spiritual tank was overflowing, but their relational, physical and emotional tanks were near empty, and this pastor found themselves secretly wanting to drive off a mountain. We must be mindful of these tanks in our lives. It is not enough to simply fill our spiritual tank – God in His Word has also called us to community, to steward our bodies, and to rest, rhythms and margin.

Exercise, vacation, true days off, processing pain in prayer, godly friends with whom we can process life and ministry, de-cluttering, simplifying life, eating healthy-nutritious food, deep breathing, drinking enough water – all of these things contribute to healthy living and healthy outlets for those in spiritual leadership. We need to come back to them often, and continually review where our soul and emotions are at.

There are times when we simply need to “endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” We can’t control everything, and life and people sometimes bring great pain. But we need God’s help and healthy outlets to endure hardship, process pain, and forgive people who hurt us.

6. ADMIT YOUR WEAKNESSES

Most people who follow you for a given period of time already know some of your flaws and weaknesses, but it pays big dividends for a leader to admit where they fail, where they went wrong, and where they are weak.

I knew a leader in the past who was amazingly gifted, but was never willing to admit their weaknesses. They always wanted to cover up weaknesses, and wouldn’t let people in. If this leader would’ve simply admitted their flaws, and know they were loved in spite of them, they would’ve been able to build a powerful and lasting team.

When a spiritual leader apologizes, or admits their weaknesses, they gain incredible amounts of credibility with their team.

I’m a very trusting person by nature. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that just about everybody talks a big game, but spiritual leaders who want to make an impact must be people who “watch their life and doctrine carefully” and “don’t think more highly of themselves than they ought, but rather with sober judgement.”

Spiritual leadership is less about how spiritual you sound, and more about keeping your word when it hurts, doing things for people who can do nothing for you, and watching for how subtly you undermine your leadership by saying one thing and doing another. Guard yourself, and grow in Christ to become more and more a spiritual leader with true character worth following.

7. EMBODY WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO DO

As a leader, you don’t coach people to go where you have not gone. You need to call people to where you are.

Dave Ferguson recently stated in the 5 Leadership Questions podcast: “If everyone else lived the way I’m living, would we accomplish the mission?” That questions burns. This means, stop just talking big, and start living big – living to the full obedience potential God has called you to as a spiritual leader.

Don’t just tell people to pray. You seek God with a new vigor.
Don’t just tell people to love their family. You grow in graciousness to yours.
Don’t just tell people to reach the world. You show hospitality to a neighbor and live out the Gospel.
Don’t just tell people to give. You sacrifice something important to you, and help the poor.

Our effectiveness as spiritual leaders is intrinsically linked to embodying what we want our people to do, and then sharing our successes and failures with them. We go together or we go nowhere at all.

8. TAKE PEOPLE WITH YOU

It should go without saying, but if you are a spiritual leader, your number one priority is to take people with you, not go on a walk all by yourself.

This means you need to constantly be meeting people where they are, and doing your best to communicate with clarity the next steps to take.

You can’t be 10 steps ahead, pointing people in unrealistic directions. You need to meet people where they are, and discover the next step together. This also means people need to have buy-in. When they help write the script, they become part of the story.

Stop telling people to reach the whole world, and begin dreaming about how God could use each of you to reach one person with the gospel.
Stop telling people to pray all day, and start casting the vision to dedicate time each week to personal prayer (after all, prayer is addicting).
Stop telling people to be missionaries on the other end of the world, and start looking across the street.

Big vision is fine, but small steps are needed. You can see your effectiveness as a spiritual leader by whether or not people are actually tracking with you. If you sense a gap here, do your best to come back and meet people where they are and help them take the next step.

IF YOU WANT TO READ FURTHER ON THE SUBJECT OF HEALTHY SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP HABITS, PICK UP THESE HELPFUL BOOKS:

“The Emotionally Healthy Leader” by Peter Scazzerro
“5 Gears” by Steve Cochram and Jeremie Kubicek
“H3 Leadership” by Brad Lomenick

February 3, 2019 0 comment

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