Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

God designed and destined men to serve, bless, empower, and get things done through His grace. Men are designed by God to deliver and be reliable like the U.S. Postal Service. The title “Mail Men” is also used in honor of a former NBA basketball player named Karl Malone who earned the nicknamed “The Mail Man” because he “delivered” on the basketball court. He could be counted on to make needed plays when called upon.

Men of God are “mail men” in much more important ways!

A long time ago God said in the book of Ezekiel 22:30, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land ….”

He is saying the same thing until this day. Today we have the advantage of Jesus Christ empowering us with the Gospel! We are also blessed to provide a positive example to all people: 1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV), Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

According to the text, God is looking for men and fathers to do two things: 1) Build up the wall, and 2) Stand in the gap

What is the wall?
The wall represents the moral and righteous structure and foundation that supports a blessed and fruitful life. The wall both sustains and protects inhabitants within.

Ezekiel clearly described the weaknesses of the “wall”:
22:25 There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour people, take treasures and precious things and make many widows within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people to make unjust gain. 28 Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations

These were all specific sinful actions that degraded their society and people, and ours.

What is the Gap?
The gap or breach is the space between unfinished or broken sections of a wall. This represents unfinished and broken aspects of life and community. There are a lot of males "among them," but God is looking for men to get some things done!

When men are encouraged, trained, and committed to following Christ we become motivated to fulfill our natural state of building up and meeting needs.

Listen to my Father’s Day Message, “Mail Men: Men That Deliver” and share it with others. Links below:

Firm Foundation Podcast on iTunes
Firm Foundation Podcast on Podbean

Joshua 24:15, But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Let's be clear, "going" to church is not the same as "serving" the Lord. Everybody serves something, which becomes one's "god" and religion. What Jesus said and the Bible says cannot be separated from the real experience of serving God.

Jesus did not give his life for people to have a religion, but to have a relationship with Himself and Father God. We can marginalize the people who are saying what we do not want to hear, but that does not change the truth about the living God and our accountability to Him. The "god" that does people's bidding is a figment of the imagination and the seed of deception.

The living God is who we follow, and He does not follow us and comply with everything we want to do.

In John Chapter Six, Jesus brought a life-changing perspective. The chapter begins with Him feeding thousands of people with a few fish and loaves of bread. The chapter continues with Jesus revealing the consumption mindset of people, “Give me” or “Gimme.” The chapter ends with Jesus revealing himself as the Bread of Life who nourishes the total person and sets people on the path to life-long growth and development, “Grow me.”

Listen to new teaching on the Firm Foundation Podcast:

The Bread of Life: From "Gimme" to "Grow Me."

On Podbean: https://bryanhudson.podbean.com/e/the-bread-of-life-from-gimme-to-grow-me/

On Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/firm-foundation-with-bryan-hudson/id81271386?mt=2

John 6:24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

Multimedia in Focus 2017 Update. New for 2017! Learn about how we empower youth in the media arts. Information and Registration at http://www.visionmultimedia.org

(The above photo was taken during my mission to Kenya, Africa in November, 2016. These young men were doing a creative dance at an outdoor crusade)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, (Ephesians 3:20)

In all of God’s creation, creativity is unique to people. It is a reflection of our creation in the likeness and image of God. This is an obvious truth, but needs to be said because we are living in a day where creative expression is not only lacking, but discouraged by our lifestyles. Our lives are filled with necessary routines, responsibilities, and obligations. We have things to do. Those important things we do in the service of responsibility should not crowd out times and seasons of creativity and thinking about “other” things in life.

Art, drawing, dance, and music are not the only expressions of creativity. Artists and designers such as myself are not the only people who can be creative. Let me suggest the following expressions of creativity:

1. Praying in new ways and at different times. Praying for others and for your circumstances with an emphasis on seeing how God can work in new and different ways.

2. Asking this question of yourself: “If I did not have the expectations of what others want and need me to do, what would I do?”

3. Which of the gifts that God has given me have I not used for a long time?

4. What opportunities, challenges, and problems can I approach in new ways?

5. Take a walk or bicycle ride and reflect on the textures and colors of nature. Take a few pictures with your phone or camera and think about God’s creative power.

One of the reasons I have conducted the Multimedia In Focus Media and Arts Camp for 18 years is to fan the flame of creative expression and recognizing God’s creative gifting in young men and women, before the demands of life require routine and obligations.

Even after we all start doing our jobs, remember to give time to creativity express what God has given to you.