Jesus' Resurrection: Power for Daily Life

Sunday, March 27, 2016 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments



JESUS IS RISEN!
We don't say "Jesus Has Risen" (past tense) because He is still alive to empower us for daily living!
The Scripture below shows the Apostle Paul's revelation and perspective regarding the resurrection of Jesus as DAILY POWER for living, not only a glorious event in the past. He contrasts his knowledge/credentials/experiences with the far greater experience of knowing Christ.
[Brackets are my comments]
Philippians 3:1 NLT, Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.
2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. [or any other religious deed] 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!
5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! [In daily life]
Happy Resurrection Sunday....EVERYDAY!

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Join us at New Covenant Church Indy today at 10:30am ET
www.NewCovenant.org

"The Excellence of Jacob" Bible study on Firm Foundation TV

Monday, March 21, 2016 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments


Follow this link to view the Bible Study on "The Excellence of Jacob:"
http://www.firmfoundationtv.net

“Jacob I have loved, Esau I have hated...” (Mal. 1:1-3) 

“He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah.” (Psa. 47:4) 

“The Lord will restore the excellence of Jacob.” (Nah. 2:2). 

Jacob was a picture of God’s idea of excellence. (Mal. 1:1-3) Jacob is a picture of one who responds to God in every way. In this lesson, you will learn principles for personal excellence and maintaining focus through the challenges of life.

Great Grace!

Wednesday, March 16, 2016 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments



2 Peter 3:18, But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

John 1:17, For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ is the foundation to understanding your purpose in life and God’s provision.

Grace is more than undeserved favor. Grace is everything God has that He makes available to us through Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s operational power. The grace of God cannot be separated from Jesus because His personal love and sacrifice for us removed the failure of the “Law” and gave us the riches of grace.

Galatians 2:21, I do not set aside [frustrate] the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

In Acts Chapter Four, we see powerlessness of the Law of Moses and the power of the Grace of God in healing the lame man laid by the gate of the temple. Acts 4:33, And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

Keep in mind that the Law was not bad. It served the good purpose of showing people God’s will (such as “You shall love the Lord your God”). However, it also showed the inability of people to perform God’s will in their own strength. Keeping the law proved to be impossible because of the sinful nature of mankind. Only Jesus could keep the law and become a Savior for us all.

Great Grace began with redemption through Jesus and separation from self righteousness. “For by grace you have been saved through faith” Eph 2:8-10

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were confounded, confused, and out of touch with the grace of God. 

The Old Covenant was based on the strength man. The New Covenant is based on the strength of God. 

OLD order: Righteous lifestyle could not produce righteousness. 
NEW order: The gift of righteousness produces a righteous lifestyle 

Under the grace everything we need is created and imparted to us through Christ. 

1 Cor 1:30, But of him you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

The Hebrews writing clearly describes the difference between old and new covenants:

Heb. 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

G.R.A.C.E.

Give: Give what God has given you to give. What I have a give to you. 

Reach: Go for more than business as usual. Move outside of yourself and into a life of challenge and adventure

Accept: Accept the new things God was doing in your life. They reported to the church all that God had one. Accept the difference that grace brings to you life. Live the lifestyle of people called by God to change their world. Matthew 28:18, “Go into all the world and make disciples.”

Clear: Clear the old behaviors to make room for God’s best ways. In order to learn and build something new, you have to clear out the old. We use to record and sell cassette and VHS tapes. When compact disc technology came along, we transitioned from tapes to CD’s. We to clear out the tape duplicators and the little ploy boxes. The early church disciples cleared away the old powerless religious bonds. The religious leaders had gone so far away from God that they could not even rejoice in the miracle of the man being healed. Their only thought was: “How can we shut in down because this takes the focus off of us?

Elevate: Giving, Reaching, Accepting and Clearing lead to an Elevation or “Great Grace!”

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Listen to Podcast on this topic: http://bryanhudson.podbean.com/mobile/e/great-grace-part-one-grow-in-grace/#

The Reason for Resources

Wednesday, March 09, 2016 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments



Deut 8:18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day."

God gives power to get wealth. Many of us know that text and have quoted it. We need to remember why God gives this power or ability: "To establish His covenant." God's covenant is His purpose for humanity, specifically for those who serve Him.

In every generation, God has provided covenants of purpose empowered by His provision. Through Moses, God gave Ten Commandments to the Hebrews. Through Jesus God salvation and renewal to all mankind.

Within God's larger purpose are multitudes of supporting plans and purposes. This includes you and me. For every purpose God has given me, from pastoring, to parenting, to publishing, to empowering youth, to equipping ministries, I have seen His faithfulness in provided in needed resources.

You only need to be clear and committed to God purpose for your life…and it’s never too late for God to provide! 

Hope in 3D - Part 2, "Compose Your Hope" (Video Teaching)

Monday, March 07, 2016 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments



Pastor Bryan Hudson
March 6, 2016
www.NewCovenant.org

Hope is designed to extend your vision and expand your boundaries. 

Hope can be like photo composition. When you compose a photo, you look for interesting and impactful elements in your field of view. For the life you already live, there are new, good things to find,
Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

1 Corinthians 15:19, If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Romans 12:12  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Why You Don't Need or Seek for a "Sign"

Wednesday, March 02, 2016 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments



Mark 8:11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

The Pharisees had a problem, they were religious leaders that lacked authentic faith in God. They prided themselves on being authorities on all things pertaining to God and the Scriptures, but did something very foolish. They asked Jesus to show them a “sign” to prove Himself. Have you ever asked for a sign?

After all Jesus had said and done, they had the audacity to ask for a “sign from heaven.” If you were a chef, and had just prepared an outstanding meal that customers raved about, what you think if someone asked you, “Show me a sign that you are a real chef?”

The Pharisees were masters of deceit and self-deception. They did not have a relationship with God and were envious of Jesus. Because of a lack of faith, they asked for physical proof.

Here’s the lesson to ourselves: Do not assume that your prior status of being a Christian is sufficient for today’s walk of faith. The Hebrews said, “Now, [not yesterday] faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (11:1) Beware of looking for outward evidence of God’s promises to you. Seeking signs is evidence of complacency and a lack of faith.

So long as we maintain a vibrant walk with the Lord, receive His Word, and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit, your “sign” will always be the inward witness of the Spirit of God and your confidence in his promises.

2 Corinthians 5:7, For we walk by faith, not by sight.

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Stronger than the "Strong Man"

Tuesday, March 01, 2016 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments


Luke 11:20 But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. 22 But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

The context of this statement is Jesus commenting on what leads to a defeated, divided house. The religious leaders criticized Jesus for having a demon and being inauthentic BECAUSE he cast out demons. Jesus responded that it is impossible for a "house" to function when divided against itself. He then gave the illustration recorded in verses 21-22.

Many interpret the "strong man" as a demonic or evil presence. I think that the strong man is the dominant power in one's "house" or life. This may be a positive or negative power.

If the objective is to overcome a house, or person, one must first get past the strong man who protects it. When there is a evil or demonic power "guarding" it, we should overcome that evil power in Jesus' name. On the other hand, if you are the "strong man" guarding your home, don't allow yourself to be bound, leading to defeat and division in your house or life.

Jesus' point was that strong forces can only be overcome by stronger forces.

Overcome in Christ's name when you need to. And don't be overcome when you are called upon to take a stand.