(“Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute” is a weekly encouragement. Subscribe to this blog to stay connected.)
Isaiah 55:10-12, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
Behind our home, looking through our kitchen and patio windows, one of the first signs of springtime are daffodils breaking through the soil and blooming in our neighbor's yard. There is also the change of color in our lawn as the grass seems to come back to life.
In the Book of Isaiah, God's purpose of prospering is compared to rain nourishing plant life and providing both seed for sowing and bread for eating. Cycles of nature are a reminder of the reliability of God's Word and promises. As Spring unfolds, signaled by flowers emerging and trees blooming, remember that God keeps all His promises, especially as you emerge from a long winter season in life.
Not only does God give you seed to sow, He blesses everything you have sown. Know that whatever "thing" you need, God assigns and provides resources to cause your purpose to prosper. These are not options or suggestions, these are facts of life for Christ followers.
Only be specific about the things you expect and need.
God Bless and Be Encouraged!
~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.
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Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law [religion] could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Think of God’s systems/laws as you think about the law of gravity. It is everywhere on the earth, all the time. It works for you and can work against you––but it was designed for work for you.
“Made Free” Happens at Two Levels:
LEGAL (Formal): Salvation is a gift. You did not earn it. You have freedom through nothing you’ve done.
PRACTICAL (Everyday life): You have it, but then you learn to walk in it.
What we don’t do is seek to change things we don’t understand or that make us feel uncomfortable. What we do is learn and change.
Everyone has thought at one time or another that the Bible is wrong. Like anything in life that is highly developed, tested, and proven over a long time, it is infinitely more likely that we don't understanding something than something is actually wrong.
2 Peter 1:21 (NIV), For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
• Never place your speculation above proven knowledge and experience.
• Seek to understand. Don’t presume.
• Decide to have faith in God and His Word, or not.
• Feed your faith. Starve your doubts.
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Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law [religion] could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Think of God’s systems/laws as you think about the law of gravity. It is everywhere on the earth, all the time. It works for you and can work against you––but it was designed for work for you.
Psalm 119:89-93, Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have given me life.
It is important to understand the use of the word “law” in the Book of Romans
Greek, νόμος “nomos”
• Anything established
• A precept or principle
• The law Moses (Mosaic Law)
• NT covenant principle
• The word law is used in the book of Romans in three primary ways:
Referring to the Law of Moses
A principle - The word law is also used to describe a principle such as the “law” of sowing and reaping and other laws related to nature.
NT principles - The word law is also used to describe New Testament and Christian principles, or the Christian faith, such as the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ.” (Rom. 8)
Psalm 37:25, I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
(“Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute” is a weekly encouragement. Subscribe to this blog to stay connected.)
On March 24, 2022 my wife Patricia and I celebrate 43 years of sharing the Covenant of Holy Matrimony. I use those words to describe our marriage because I'm convinced it was God who joined us and has kept us all these years.
You might ask: “What is your secret to staying together happily for 43 years?” Well, here is the secret: God has been good to us, we have been good to one another, and we didn't move the landmark.
A friend offered congratulations on my Facebook page and stated that for 43 years my wife and I had learned to trust each other and trust the Lord. I was appreciative, but my reply was that we’ve never had a problem trusting God or trusting each other. I know there are trust issues in some marriages, but Covenant is trust, Jesus created the Covenant, and we started out in Him. All of our challenges have been related to either selfishness or needing to adapt to one another.
God being good to you is something He wants to do. Being good to others is something people choose to do, and some people don't make that choice.
Our Firm Foundation is God‘s faithfulness to us and our faithfulness to one another. I think about the verse that reads, “Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers set.” (Proverbs 22:28) I'm thinking about my wife's parents who were married for 68 years before her father passed away in February. I'm also thinking about my parents who were married 48 years before my mother passed away 21 years ago. Our parents set a landmark for my wife and myself.
Again, the not-so-secret, secret to a good, long marriage relationship is:
1) Let God be good to you,
2) Be good to each other at all times,
3) Don't remove the landmark or the legacy and standard placed in your life.
God Bless and Be Encouraged!
~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.
