Reason to celebrate

A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead...for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. John 12:9, 11

We can live a ‘drive thru dining’ life that rushes from one activity to the next, or we can live a ‘sit down dinner’ life that enjoys the caring company of others. It's especially meaningful to celebrate special occasions: graduations, anniversaries, birthdays (both physical and spiritual), work promotions and successful surgeries, to name a few. We celebrate life when we show our gratitude for the Lord’s blessings. We take the time to honor God for His bounteous provision and healing.

Mary understood how to celebrate the gift of life. She took her best, her all, and gave it to Jesus. Her glee and gratitude could not be contained for her brother Lazarus was alive, raised by God. Without inhibition and in the face of fierce criticism from a family member, she lavished her love on the Lord. The death and resurrection of Lazarus became the harbinger of her symbolic anointing of Jesus for His burial. A celebration of life points to the giver of life; Jesus Christ.

A life lived well celebrates well. What has the Lord done in your life that invites a celebratory occasion? Perhaps you use this time to tell your story of God’s faithfulness, as recounting Christ’s blessings blesses others. Open your home to honor a friend who has been healed, or pay tribute to a new believer who has been raised to walk in newness of life in Christ. Life celebrations memorialize God's favor.

Some will scoff when we spend time and money to commemorate Christ. But their small view of God misses the point of creating unique ways to glorify God. For out of our great gratitude to the Lord, others are drawn to the Lord. Just as many believed in Jesus because of Lazarus’ testimony, so many will believe in Jesus because of our testimony. Others take notice when we celebrate our life blessed by the Lord. We anoint Jesus as our Lord when we give all we have to Jesus. Christ is our celebration. He is the reason we are rowdy with joy. 

Make today a day of Impact for the Kingdom.  In the DC metropolitan area I invite you to worship with me at First Baptist Chesterbrook located at 1740 Kirby Rd. McLean Va.  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

Only trust Him

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.  Isaiah 12:2-3

Total trust in the Lord is available to every disciple of Jesus. It means you give up total control, and the Lord’s assurance replaces your fear and worry with peace and faith. You cannot figure it all out but you do have the capacity to trust Him totally. It is a trust issue, and if He is who He claims to be, He can be trusted. If you can trust Him with the salvation of your soul, you can trust Him with the temporal control of your life.

If you can trust Him with the big things, you can trust Him with the small things. If He led you to the right spouse, He will give you the opportunities to provide. If He led you to a new career, He will give you the wisdom, finances, and relationships to be successful. If He led you to be a missionary, He will build bridges across the cultural barriers to allow you to engage with the people. If He led you to have children, He will provide for the needed resources to be successful parents.
   
Wherever God leads He provides. What God initiates He completes. His part is provision and your part is trust. Don’t fall into the trap of trusting Him with some things and not trusting Him in ALL things. Distrust in God is distasteful and insulting to His integrity, the good thing is it reveals where our faith must grow. How can God not be big enough to handle any situation? Health, war, teenagers, money, conflict, prosperity, relationships, and people can all be placed into His hands. God can be trusted because He is trustworthy. The well of His salvation is infinitely deep. You have limited capacity to bear burdens. However, His character and resources are unlimited. Without the support of a sympathetic Jesus, you will be immobilized even crushed, under the weight of worry. Jesus understands and is saddened when  you do not yoke up with His support.
   
There is no need to root around and search for answers when He already has it figured out. There is no need to sacrifice your health with worry and overwork when He offers peace and options you have yet to discover. There is no need to rush through life and then ask Him to bless your efforts after the fact. He can be trusted to lead you even before you put a prayerful plan into motion. Trust in God does not mean you act irresponsibly and seek forgiveness later. Trust in God means you patiently walk with Him in your decisions and choices. Slow down, look up, trust Him, and watch Him reap extraordinary results. Partial trust leads to frustration and worry.

Make today a day of impact for the Kingdom.  If your in the McLean Va. area I would love to worship with you Saturdays at 6:30pm or Sundays at 10am at First Baptist Chesterbrook we are located at 1740 Kirby Rd. in Mclean Va.
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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

Productive conflict

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. Romans 12:17, ESV

The silent treatment contributes to a slow relational death. Some people who are hurt by insensitivity or disinterest of others default to emotional disengagement. Sadly, their way of punishing someone they love is to withhold love, or they simply lack the skills to fight fair. Their choice to stew in isolation can cook up bitterness in their own heart and feelings of rejection in others.  At their emotional boiling point people tend to accuse and demand. Destructive conflict doesn't fight fair. 

However, productive conflict uses disagreements to engage each other’s hearts. Love is patient to truly understand another's perspective. What may be a misunderstanding is managed with questions and a spirit of seeking to comprehend not complain. Instead of attacking, there is vulnerability with our feelings. For example, we might say, “I want to help, but right now I don’t know how.” During productive conflict we can hit the pause button, take a deep breath and perhaps pray out loud for one another. Prayerful words replace silent pouting.

Furthermore, as we grow in grace we grow to honor individuals as the Lord does. Instead of being disrespectful with our distant demeanor, we communicate respect with our caring eye contact. We embrace another’s differences as an opportunity to learn and improve our thinking. We are quick to confess our quirks, even laugh at our weaknesses, as our Lord reminds us to take Him but not ourselves too seriously. Productive conflict develops our dependence on God and on each other. It's like using spiritual sandpaper to smooth our rough edges.

Therefore, fight fair and remember the devil is the enemy not the person. Spiritual battles are won on our knees. The accuser,Satan, is silenced when we surrender to the Lord’s relational terms of engagement. Selfishness is exiled when we submit our expectations to God. Timely, sincere apologies with forgiveness replace agonizingly long periods of silence or withheld intimacy. Relational skills are needed to manage conflict well. Listen well, think the best and create a safe environment for difficult conversations. Productive conflict increases trust, friendship and intimacy.

In the McLean Va. area I would love to worship with you at either of our worship gatherings Saturdays at 6:30pm or Sundays at 10am, and remember to make today a day of impact for the Kingdom.
--

 

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

Good guardrails

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Proverbs 4:6

Guardrails are for our protection. In driving they protect us from fatal accidents. In decision making they protect us from foolish choices. In relationships they protect us from destructive behavior. In finances they protect us from living beyond our means. In organizations they protect us from drifting. Guardrails are God's protection from missing His very best. Wisdom erects them in a safe zone, way before a dangerous drop off. A life with guardrails enjoys God’s peace.

A guardrail in life is not meant to squelch our creativity, instead it provides boundaries that enhance our freedoms. For example, a parent gives a teenager moral, emotional and physical guidelines so they are protected from future regrets. Emotionally energized individuals make time to replenish their souls after a season of intense service and support. The physically fit place limitations on food and drink so their intake is somewhat equal to the calories burned off by their body. A guardrail protects us from ourselves. Good intentions without limits can be unhealthy.

What area of our life is exposed, without a buffer? A loving church family can support you when life happens and circumstances become uncertain. An intimate and caring accountability group can keep you honest in your assessment of reality. Perhaps you engage a financial planner to help you prepare for the future. A mentor couple can affirm what you are doing well in marriage and advise where to make a course correction. When we bump up against a guardrail it is not pain free, but hopefully it protects us from more severe outcomes.

Most of all ask the Lord to place His hedge of protection around your life. His angels are an army for good that reveals a demon’s deceptions. What is unseen can be even more disastrous than what we see, but the Holy Spirit is our guide and protector against unseemly powers and principalities. Prayer provides God’s peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. His truth is like a mighty fortress against the fiery darts of the devil. God’s wisdom protects us it is a good guardrail.

Make today a day of impact for the Kingdom.  In the Mclean Va area come worship with me Saturdays at 6:30 or Sundays at 10.

--

 

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