Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

Helping Yourself and Others Be Aware, Healthy, & Empowered

Mental health is as important as physical health. This workshop seeks to educate, inform, and encourage a "covenant" of care and concern for one another and for ourselves. Join us on Saturday, October 6 for a great experience of learning and growth!

• Informative Speakers

• Mental Health Awareness Videos

• Computer Workstations With Access to Resources

• Helpful Resources for Yourself and Others

• Refreshments

Free registration at www.NewCovenant.org

Romans 12:1, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We have read this verse for years. It describes a process at work in you through Christ. It is NOT a “to do” list. God is working with you, where you are, as you are, with what you have now, to TRANSFORM (or transfigure) you! He doesn’t need any other ingredients other than you and Him!

You cannot conceive of what God empowered transformation will do in you, because the process has to be lived. The process begins with, "...offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." Give yourself to God in a fresh way.

Getting into the process of being positively transformed begins with recognizing how you are being negatively conformed. Conformity to unhelpful things is the biggest enemy to transformation in helpful things.

Listen to the teaching on the Firm Foundation Podcast:

Podbean: https://bryanhudson.podbean.com/e/from-conformed-to-transformed/

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

Bishop Daniel Muiruri, "Overcoming Distractions to Your Destiny"& Africa Mission Highlights

Ministry at New Covenant Church, Indianapolis, Indiana, September 9, 2018
Bryan Hudson, Pastor

On Wednesday, September 5, I sat down with Bishop Daniel Muiruri from Kenya, Africa and Dr. Kenneth Sullivan, Sr. from Indianapolis, Indiana. Bishop Muiruri is the pastor of Living Faith Outreach Center in Kenya and overseer to some 50 churches and many schools serving young children.

Watch the conversation below: (You can also listen and watch on the "Conversations In Focus" podcast)

Our discussion highlighted the blessings of ministry and educational opportunities in Kenya. We learned about Dr. Sullivan's vision to help establish churches and schools, something in which we have partnered. We also previewed our upcoming November mission to Kenya, Africa and showed photos of a new church building going up with the financial assistance of Dr. Kenneth & Joyce Sullivan and New Direction Church.

On the lighter side, we also talked about Bishop Dan's impressions of his first trip to the USA, as well as enjoying "delicacies" at Indianapolis culinary "landmarks" such as Long's Donuts, and Acapulco Joes Mexican restaurant. We also took him to Chicago to enjoy deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati's.

Enjoy this conversation. You will most certainly be blessed, inspired and entertained!

Join us Sunday, September 9 at 10:30am EST as Bishop Daniel Muiruri ministers at New Covenant Church!

~ Pastor Bryan Hudson

Matthew 17:20-21 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

These verses are Jesus’ explanation and solution to His disciples following their failure to bring healing to an afflicted boy. Though they were willing, they were unable to help him. The father brought his son to Jesus and said, “So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Jesus healed the boy and made it a teachable moment for His disciples—and for us—when they asked Him why they were unable to help the boy. Jesus plainly stated the problem, “Because of your unbelief.”

Unbelief is not believing that something can’t be done. The disciples believed in the power of God to heal, because they tried to help the boy become healed. Unbelief is more than not believing, unbelief is lacking sufficient spiritual ability to get something done. Jesus expected that they should have been able to bring God’s healing to the boy. He went on to explain how faith works by saying: “If you have faith as a mustard seed.” He did not talk about faith the SIZE of a mustard seed, He talked about faith AS a mustard seed.

Faith in God is something that must grow and develop...like a muscle. Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 1:3, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other.” Muscles grow and develop from exercise and good nutrition. Your faith in God grows the same way.

The disciples’ inability to help the boy was an issue of their need to grow and develop. A mustard seed starts small but grows to become a tree. When Jesus said, “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting,” He did not refer to “this kind” of demon or illness. He referred to “this kind” of faith, which is a GROWING faith that comes from a GROWING relationship with God!

This is where prayer and fasting help us. Prayer connects us to God which causes growth. Fasting disconnects us from the world which is the source of stunted spiritual growth. Seasons of not eating or indulging in some routine activities helps us focus on God and grow in grace. Anything that helps you become more aware of God’s power and grace increases your spiritual abilities, not to mention other aspects of life.

Let your faith operate “as a mustard seed” so that when someone calls on you to do something important and life-changing, you’ll be able to access the grace and power of God to get it done!

Watch brief video teaching on this topic: