Alive and well

Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light. John 12:35-36

We become fully alive when we live for the Lord. We walk with Him in the light and He lights our path of progress in the faith. If we trod on the dark road of distrust we become short sighted and stale in our faith, but in the light of Christ we come alive and well. We come alive to advance God’s kingdom. We come alive to His will and ways. We come alive to prayer, worship, praise, and service. We come alive to generosity and godly goal-setting. We come alive as we walk by faith with the Lord.

We die a slow death of self focus if all we do is indulge ourselves. If our interests, our habits, our desires and our happiness are our sole purpose for living, we hold a recipe for unhappiness. The soul, our real self, starves if all our attention is on feeding our flesh. The darkness of fleshly desires grows spiritual mold spores over our disciplines and suffocates them. Our mind becomes mildewed by dark thoughts that drive us to despair. Darkness brings death, but the light of Christ gives life.

However, we become alive and well when we live as God made us to live.  Are you alive in your current season of life? If you are a child, become alive as an inquisitive child. If you are a teen, become alive as a teenager with big dreams. If you are a college student, become alive in your career preparation. If you are a single adult, become alive as a faithful friend. If you are a young married, become alive for your spouse. If you are a parent, become alive for your child. If you are a grandparent, become alive for your family. Live life in the now. Don’t be like the fifty-year old who stops living, even though their best years lie ahead.

Most of all, become alive for Christ. Be loved by Him, love Him, worship Him, listen to Him, learn from Him, obey Him and serve Him. As sunlight produces life giving vitamin D for our bodies, so the light of the Lord gives vitamin L or Love to our souls. Being loved by our Lord makes us alive. The rays of His righteous love keep our faith from becoming brittle and our hearts from becoming hard. We reject a mindset that settles for coasting through life and receive our full life in Christ. Spiritual blood pulsates through a soul alive.

Make today a day of impact for the Kingdom.  In the McLean va. area come and worship with me Saturdays at 6:30pm or Sundays at 10am.
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Rev. Todd A. Brown, Pastor
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd.  Mclean Va. 22101

Worship with us Saturdays 6:30pm (come as you are), or Sundays at 10am.
Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"

Listen to "Life Notes" & "Kingdom Impact with Pastor Brown

Mon-Fri at noon and Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 9pm on WBGRonline.com
www.firstbaptistchesterbrook.org

www.wbgronline.com

With God it is always better

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. Acts 3:6

Sometimes what we think we need and what God knows we need are two different things. A man unable to walk since birth asked Peter and John for money. Instead of receiving a quick fix of cash, he received a permanent cure. Through his faith in Jesus, his body and soul were healed. On their way to pray, these two compassionate disciples took time to pray with and for a needy man. Money is no substitute for the Spirit and souls wholeness from our physical and spiritual surrender to God. Yes, trust in Jesus provides something better than a felt need overwhelming our thoughts.

Perhaps you feel the need for a new friendship, but the Lord wants  to bring you closer to a past relationship first. You may feel the need to move on from your current job, but out of respect and gratitude you want to finish well before you leave. You may not feel well physically, but your heavenly Father also wants to do a work of soul healing: confession, repentance, forgiveness, grace and obedience. The Lord in His timing has something better for you to receive by faith.

Moreover, most of the time it is easier to write a check than to look someone in the eyes and tell them their greatest need is not cash, but faith in Christ. Who is the Holy Spirit leading you to have a direct conversation with regarding their sick soul? They need your prayers, but they also need to be reminded of God’s spiritual healing that comes through trust in Jesus Christ. He is what’s best and always provides what is better than we could ever ask, or think, or know.

Therefore, we make preparations to love people as we encounter them in our daily lives. In our car we may keep zip lock bags of water, snacks, a gift card and scripture to offer in Jesus' name to a roadside beggar. Or, we have on hand dozens of devotional books we can pen on the front page encouraging words and hand to souls seeking peace with God. We offer solutions to needy souls.

Most of all, we wait on the Lord as we process His purposes in prayer. Instead of desiring more stuff, we desire more of Jesus. In place of giving ourselves to more earthly pursuits, we pursue what’s on the Lord’s heart. By God’s grace let’s not settle for the stale crumbs of our culture. Let’s look into the face of Jesus and feast on His fresh loaf of love. His healing power is much better than silver and gold. In the name of Jesus, we stand up and walk by faith with Him.

Make today a day of impact for the Kingdom.  If you are in the McLean Va. area I extend invitation for you to worship Saturdays at 630pm or Sundays at 10am.
--

 

Rev. Todd A. Brown, Pastor
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd.  Mclean Va. 22101

Worship with us Saturdays 6:30pm (come as you are), or Sundays at 10am.
Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"

Listen to "Life Notes" & "Kingdom Impact with Pastor Brown

Mon-Fri at noon and Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 9pm on WBGRonline.com
www.firstbaptistchesterbrook.org

www.wbgronline.com

Trust in transition

“‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus." Matthew 14:28–29

Sometimes Jesus sends us ahead in our boat of faith while He prays for us from a distance. We feel alone at times because He is not physically beside us to provide reassurance that we are on the right course. Then when global uncertainty or storms of sickness strike our core belief,  we become fearful. In our crisis of faith, we can get out of our boat of fear and walk on the water toward Jesus or sink in unbelief.

Where does the Lord have you? Are you waiting to launch out in faith? Are you in the middle of a storm anticipating His reassurance any minute? Or has He asked you to get out of the boat for a major faith-stretching goal? Wherever you are in your continuum of faith in Christ, trust Him in the transition. If you are on the shore, get in the boat of belief. If you are in the middle of one of life'sfearful storms, look for Christ coming toward you. If He is asking you to get out of the boat and walk on water, trust Him.

What seems unnatural or impossible to you may be reasonable to Him. It is not a blind leap of faith, for you are fixing your eyes on Jesus. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Do not look to the left at the storm, to the right at the still shore, or down at the uncertain water. Look straight ahead into the confident eyes of Christ. Watch Him as you walk on water in faith.

We walk on water not to be seen but to see Him. There is a depth of trust and love for the Lord that only comes from walking toward Him. Like a child learning to walk looks toward  the outstretched arms of his loving parent, so we wobble toward our smiling Savior. Go with God and experience great gain, or stay where you are and suffer great loss. Move out of your comfort zone so Christ can be your sole comfort. Stay in the boat and see your limited work. Walk on water watching His unlimited work.

Make today a day of Impact for the Kingdom.  In the McLean Virginia? come worship with me Saturdays at 6:30pm or Sundays at 10am.
--

 

Rev. Todd A. Brown, Pastor
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd.  Mclean Va. 22101

Worship with us Saturdays 6:30pm (come as you are), or Sundays at 10am.
Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"

Listen to "Life Notes" & "Kingdom Impact with Pastor Brown

Mon-Fri at noon and Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 9pm on WBGRonline.com
www.firstbaptistchesterbrook.org

www.wbgronline.com

Maintaining yourself: Rest

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Mark 6:30-32

Wise leaders lead their team (and/or family) into a time of rest. They find a quiet place and rest together. Rest is required after extreme busyness because your spirit begins to rebel against the hustle and bustle. The joy you found in service for God starts to fade, and people become a drain rather than a blessing. It is time to break away to a solitary place, for you cannot continue at a breakneck pace. It is unrealistic, bordering on contempt for God.

Even Jesus took a break. If you continually push yourself and others, you will eventually lose all energy and perspective. A driven heart becomes a judgmental heart. You begin to look down on people for not pulling their weight. Jaded criticism replaces your joy. You feel you’re the only one who is really committed. Your peers have become slackers in your mind. Be careful; you may be serving out of your own strength, not the Spirit’s. It is the Holy Spirit that sustains you over the long haul. Wise leaders understand the danger of an unsustainable schedule: You begin to sacrifice relationships in order to reach unrealistic goals.
   
God provides goals as a guide and motivation, but do not be driven by the goal. Rather, be led by the Holy Spirit so the goal does not become your god. Unchecked goal-setting can lead you down a path of disappointment and disillusionment. So take time to develop the team, and watch God work through them, way beyond your capacity. Some of your team development, however, comes in quiet places. Find a quiet spot, and calendar a time today for you and your team. They desperately need this enrichment, both personally and professionally. Without a retreat, they will be unable to advance.

Some on your team may be on the verge of burnout or they may be ready to quit in discouragement. Solitary places allow you and your team to recalibrate with the vision, values, and mission of the organization. Quiet times together build camaraderie and trust. A retreat is an investment; by taking time to pause, you are able to continue with more effectiveness and efficiency. A quiet place is where you can get on the same page with God, as your soul is refreshed and replenished. The wise words of Scripture leap from the pages and lodge in the crevices of your heart and mind.
   
A retreat into a place of solitude is an exercise in faith. You trust that routine matters will be taken care of in your absence.  You believe the financial investment will return exponentially in lower employee turnover and increased productivity. A quiet place is the ideal setting for relational vigor to erupt. Smooth relationships go a long way toward avoiding future issues and solving current problems. So retreat regularly for your sake and sanity; retreat for the morale of the team. You hear more clearly when it is quiet. Your comprehension expands. Your body rests and your soul is renewed. A solitary place provides strength and stamina to finish well.
Sometimes, the most spiritual thing you can do is rest in a quiet place.

Make today a day of Impact for the Kingdom.  In the McLean Va. area come worship with me at First Baptist Chesterbrook Saturdays at 6:30pm or Sundays at 10am.
--

 

Rev. Todd A. Brown, Pastor
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd.  Mclean Va. 22101

Worship with us Saturdays 6:30pm (come as you are), or Sundays at 10am.
Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"

Listen to "Life Notes" & "Kingdom Impact with Pastor Brown

Mon-Fri at noon and Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 9pm on WBGRonline.com
www.firstbaptistchesterbrook.org

www.wbgronline.com

Dry place blessings

He [Moses] led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Exodus 3:1-2

Moses murdered a man and then fled to the wilderness rather than be killed by Pharaoh. His self imposed exile from Egypt led to a surreal encounter with God. It was also in this foreign land that in defense of seven defenseless women he was blessed with a wife. Jethro, the respected priest of Midan, rewarded Moses’ courage with his daughter and with a job. Moses, free from his troubles back home, enjoyed a fresh start. God blessed his 40-year wilderness experience.

We all mess up in life. Our bad choices or another’s bad choices can create unintended negative consequences. Like Moses, our anger can cause us to carry out hurtful, even life-threatening actions. Anger left unchecked can become a cruel master. We spew destructive words; like daggers they kill a friend or family member’s joy. Anger is such a serious offense, Jesus compares it to murder (Matthew 5:21-22). So, we may find ourselves in a relational or spiritual wilderness looking for the Lord. He blesses if we let our pride be chipped away by our troubles.

Has a relationship imploded? Are you confused,afraid of a radical change? Do you feel isolated and alone? If so, look for the Lord’s favor in your unfavorable circumstances. Be a humble student who better understands your strengths and weakness. Be aggressive in your service of others and God will bless your unselfish heart. You create value when you value others. Ask what issues a friend needs to solve and offer them creative ideas and solutions. You are blessed in the process of blessing another. The Lord favors those who serve the at risk, at their own risk.

Most of all, navigating unfamiliar circumstances is a prime opportunity to become more familiar with our Lord. He wants to bless us in spite of our insecurities over new surroundings. We seek to experience God during our wilderness experience. As our faith is tested, we persevere. As we persevere our trust in the Lord matures and we become complete in Christ. We don’t lack anything because we have everything we need in Him. Our wilderness is His blessing.

Make today a day of Impact for the Kingdom.  In the McLean area come worship with me Saturdays at 6:30pm or Sundays at 10am.  This Sunday Min. Constance Cheeks of Shiloh Baptist Church will be our guest preacher.

--

 

Rev. Todd A. Brown, Pastor
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd.  Mclean Va. 22101

Worship with us Saturdays 6:30pm (come as you are), or Sundays at 10am.
Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"

Listen to "Life Notes" & "Kingdom Impact with Pastor Brown

Mon-Fri at noon and Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 9pm on WBGRonline.com

Beautiful mind

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

A beautiful mind believes God, for there is fidelity of faith that flows from a mind focused on the Lord. It is steadfast on its Savior because it trusts in Him. An ugly mind is contrary, conflicted, and unsure. Its focus fluctuates between fear and faith. In an ugly mind, there is a battle that fatigues faithfulness to the point of giving up. The mind’s eye can become trapped in the temporal and lose its willingness to trust God. This is tragic and terrifying for those whose minds become numbed to the things of God. Depart from this double-mindedness as we are admonished in James 1 verse 8 or you will lose heart and fracture your faith.
   
The mind is a beautiful thing if it is focused properly, but it can be disturbing and destructive when it loses perspective. The mind can play tricks on you because Satan plays mind games. He tries to draw you in with his allure, but his thoughts lead to faithless and substandard living. Therefore, build up your intellectual stamina and trust in God so you can reject Satan’s lies. Reject his temptation to remain restless, for you can rest in peace because the Prince of Peace reigns over your life. Reject Satan’s leading into lust because you are loved by the everlasting love of God.

Good thoughts facilitate faith, and God thoughts bring about a beautiful mind of peace, and clarity. A mind needs to be stretched, as a heart needs to be exercised. An unused mind is a waste; it atrophies and becomes ugly. It is a waste of time to have an unengaged mind. Mindless activity will get you into trouble. Therefore, think. Be a thinker, not just a doer. Engage your mind with large thoughts about the Lord and His will, and how you might join Him in it. Reflect on His righteousness and His glory. Get beyond trivial thoughts to thoughts that trust in God. The quality of your life follows the quality of your thoughts as well as the word you speak, as it isn't what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him, which is a result of what goes on in our mind.  The word of God (Bible) provides fertile soil for great thinking. Great thinkers help you develop disciplined thinking.

Make it a goal to read, dialogue, and debate with wise thinkers. This will help you think well. A mature mind is a beautiful thing to behold. A messy mind never matures beyond just getting by. Therefore, discipline and stretch your mind. Most importantly, keep trust in the Lord. Trust in God is your catalyst for wise thinking. Legalism leads to non-thinking and little faith. Without trust in the Lord, your mind becomes fertile ground for deception. Therefore, allow trust to become the scope in which your mind’s eye gazes, and it will see perfect peace. The filter of faith massages your mind with God’s fingers of love, joy, and hope. The mind of Christ is worth a lifetime of study; it beautifies your thinking. A beautiful mind trusts and rests in the Lord.

Make today a day of Impact for the Kingdom.  In the McLean Va. area come worship with me at First Baptist Chesterbrook Saturdays at 6:30pm or Sundays at 10am.
--

 

Rev. Todd A. Brown, Pastor
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd.  Mclean Va. 22101

Worship with us Saturdays 6:30pm (come as you are), or Sundays at 10am.
Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"

Listen to "Life Notes" & "Kingdom Impact with Pastor Brown

Mon-Fri at noon and Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 9pm on WBGRonline.com
www.firstbaptistchesterbrook.org

www.wbgronline.com