Author Archives: Brian

Value

Some get their value from making others feel less worthy.
Some get their value from fading things.
Some get their value from always being right.
Some get their value from pleasing the Lord.

Let our value come from the One who knows everything yet still loves us and sent His Son, Who is worthy, to die for us. He alone makes us worthy. Everything else is but rags.

We know our righteousness cannot save us, it was never able to. So why allow it to damn others?

Wealth can be more valuable than genealogies, health may extend your life, a commendable career can give purpose to your days, but all are fading. Live as a light, and draw others to Him. He alone can save from any debt. He alone rescues. Let the light of your virtue shine boldly on Him.

If it wasn’t for Jesus, we would be lost too.

Ephesians 5:8-14
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Spirit Fire: Proverbs 19:11, The Path of God

“A person’s wisdom yields patience;
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

It is astounding how on target Scripture is. With this one proverb, thousands of years old, it quickly ascertains the short sighted impetus of today. For my children, politics aside, we spoke of a garden. We discussed seed time and harvest. Wisdom is a seed that when planted firmly and deeply into the gardens of our hearts, souls, and minds, bears much fruit when given time. We saw “an offense” as a weed that, in a mysterious way in our mysterious gardens, can only be pulled by overlooking it.

“Glory” was the doorway we entered to see how Jesus fulfilled this proverb. Because of His sacrifice on the cross God overlooked sin, the greatest offense from the Garden till the End. The highest glory be unto Him, amen.

This proverb revealed the path God took for our salvation.

Spirit Fire – Proverbs 19:9, The Gospel In Reflection

A false witness will not go unpunished,
and he who breathes out lies will perish.

Proverbs 19:9

This was the proverb for our last Spirit Fire. After we discussed what it meant and compared it with 19:5, we came to the question that really opened the night up: How will this happen? We found that this was really about God’s justice and righteousness. He will do it. His justice demands it.

We took a step back and saw the seed of wisdom that the Proverb practically screamed: Don’t be a false witness!! Tell the truth! Which lead perfectly into my favorite question: Where is Jesus, how does He fulfill this proverb? He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! To see Him more fully, we looked at this proverb’s reflection. If perishing awaited a false witness, what awaits those who follow the True Witness: “They will not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. It got fun as we realized how Jesus fulfilled it by flipping it. We take upon ourselves His righteousness. It enables us to pass through the punishment due us.

In the end we caught a glimpse of the fabric of this reality God’s righteousness demands and we saw how His love through His Son Jesus fulfilled it for our salvation. Amen Lord Jesus, amen.

A Different Approach To Leadership: The Vine

I have often heard Church leaders use corporate America’s model of leadership, the pyramid model, to guide their praxis. I believe this, albeit wildly successful, isn’t in line with Jesus’ model. In fact, I believe it is in direct conflict with His servant leader style as shown in John 13 when He washed His disciples’ feet.

The pyramid model places leaders at the top which even as an illustration places everyone else under them. No where in the Gospels or the whole New Testament is this found. Rather we have Philippians 2, John 13 as mentioned before, Mathew 23:11, Mark 10:31, and many passages from Paul about being a slave to Christ. None of these place a leader on top of anyone, these passages and more place leaders beneath others, which leads me to a different picture, one I believe Jesus points to and shows us throughout His life.

I believe Church Leadership needs to separate herself from Business Leadership by leaving the pyramid illustration for the vine. Pyramids themselves were a product of great ingenuity of man by the use of many slaves. It has and continues to lead businesses to great success, but for the Church I believe it an idol much like the one ring of power in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the rings. Like Lady Galadriel said, “All shall love me and despair!”, it leads to great power and the building of large structures lasting millenniums, but was that ever His goal for us?

A vine was created by God employing no slaves. Using it as a model places leaders beneath all who follow them. This is found throughout the New Testament. It places leaders nearest the Source where its roots can grow deep in Him for nourishment. It requires the Church to release her hold on the idolatry of worldly success and it embraces fruitfulness and the harvest from a life lead in faithfulness.

This change would place the Church where no business will ever go, it would lead to the cross. That is where following God lead Jesus. Buildings will fall in time, but the salvation afforded us by Jesus will endure till the end. The vine model helps people to regard others as betters, lead to a more peaceful marriage, and has a different understanding of success- one that is dependent on intimacy with God.

I am not a successful Church or business leader/entrepreneur. I have never written a book or lead a seminar. I am a homebody who reads the Word, looks around, and thinks too much. I do pray I am seen as a success by my wife and kids, and by He who made me and continually unmakes me.

May the vine model lead you to depend more on Him, for much like Jesus, it flips the world’s understanding upside-down. (Flip the pyramid model over to reveal the vine and you’ll see what I mean).

Spiritfire Proverbs 29:3, “The Path of The Damned”

A person’s own folly leads to their ruin,
yet their heart rages against the Lord.

Proverbs 19:3

This was the Proverb of our last Spirit Fire. The raging heart against God for the person’s own folly IS the folly that leads to ruin. Raging at the only One who can save us only serves to lock us in the dungeon and throw away the key. Repentance is the only path we can take that won’t lead to our destruction.

Repent, lay down your arms against the One who made you. Your anger can’t save you, only Jesus the Son of God can. All the rest is the path of the damned.

Speak Over Me

Speak over me Lord.
For when You speak, things exist
where before there was nothing.

The heavens and earth were made
by Your voice.
By Your call
the sea opened and at the right time
a path for Your people was made.

Speak over my family Lord.
May this reality crumble and melt like wax
before You.

You overflow storehouses
as You let fall the rain upon a farmer’s field,
multiplying the harvest.

Speak over me Lord.
May Your will be done
and Your Name be praised.

It is getting hard to see Lord,
but I know when You speak
things change.

Jesus, when You invited Your disciples to follow,
You showed them a Kingdom not of this world.

Jesus, when You called Lazarus from the tomb,
You revealed a power greater than the grave.

Jesus, when you uttered, “It is finished,”
You opened wide the door of our salvation.

Speak over me Lord.
I trust in You more than these horses.
They threaten to trample me if I don’t succumb.
Their pounding hooves batter against the gates;
they buck and kick at me.
Their intent to oppress and crush falls short
of Your shadow over me.

Your words give Life!
Your words are Life!
Your words give Truth!
Your Word is Truth!

Speak over me.
Deliver and rescue me,
You are mighty to save.

Lift me up out of this mire,
Purify me in Your fire,
Though the times are dark and dire,
I’ll sing Your praise with the choir.

Among Those Who Do

Have you ever stared into the eyes of a lion? I did once at a zoo. Even behind the bars, his glare was fierce. He sat atop his hill truly the king of his now miniaturized domain. I was the only person there. He looked down at me and stared right into my eyes. Within moments I wanted to look away, but I didn’t. I remember the intimidation I felt but suddenly memories of staring into my dog Rex’s eyes soon washed it all away. It was the lion, that only knew the zoo, who looked away first.

I know there are those who don’t know the love of the Master. Leave the zoo of this world and come among those who do.

Future, Present, Past

Prophets, artists, or scholars. It all just depends on the timing…

I was recently reminded from an article that September 1 was the anniversary of the extinction of the passenger pigeon, which is a case in point:

The prophet warned it would happen even when all signs said it was impossible. The artist commented on the experience of wonder as a flock a mile wide flew overhead and blocked out the sun. The scholar writes about the loss and reminds us of lessons learned.