WEDNESDAY'S WORD - NO - Sadell Bradley 02/24/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

The question in the meme is loaded! NO packs a lot of punch for a two letter word! It can mean none or hardly any; or the opposite of what is being specified, "It was no easy task." It can forbid a behavior, "No Smoking." NO is powerfully used in exclamation. It is a one word sentence that conveys a negative response or decision. Jesus taught us, "All you need to say is simply Yes, or No: anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37) No can be used to express agreement or disagreement, shock or disappointment.  "No can do, no longer, no more, no place, no sooner than, no two ways about it, no way!" Do you have trouble taking NO for answer? Is it hard for you to say NO without explaining or feeling guilty?  No is sometimes a difficult word to say, and to hear. Life would be simpler if it were used more. Try saying NO when needed this week!

Does God say NO?  We were discussing praying the will of God yesterday. 1 John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." (NASB)  If...then  clauses are a favorite because they bring clarity.  This one says there is a possibility that we may be out of God's will when we pray. If that is the case, the answer will be a straight out NO! not a yes, or a wait.  Doors will close shut and favor will not be granted, despite your many requests and attempts to swing things open. James 4:3 reiterates, "And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong--you want only what gives you pleasure." (NLT) Because it's not often preached, many Christians are unaware that NO is a potential answer to prayer. Sometimes we stubbornly hold on too long to desires/dreams/plans/people and things that God has refused.

Like any good parent, the Father loves us, and even His NO is always working together for our good...though it doesn't feel that way sometimes. (Rom. 8:28) Maturity means being able to receive NO from others, say NO when necessary, and hear NO from the LORD when His thoughts and ways differ from our own.

New Life Covenant's Annual 30 for $30 Campaign is starting!  For the next 30 days up to our 3rd Anniversary, we are asking friends and family to support our local missions projects for 2016 with a donation of $30 or more. CLICK HERE TO DONATE  Our first event was Monday at CAIN Ministry, we served 117 people! Glory to God!!

New Life Covenant Cincinnati Sundays at   11:00 AM         Urban Artifact 1660 Blue Rock Street Cincinnati OH 45223 Visit Our Website

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - PONDER - 02/16/16 - Sadell Bradley - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

Ponder means to think about something carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion; to consider, weigh, reflect on.  In Hebrew, palas - to roll flat (i.e. to prepare a road). In Proverbs, the book of wisdom, King Solomon wrote that rashness should be avoided, and that focus, wisdom and careful consideration should guide our affairs: "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil." (Proverbs 4:25-27)

At times we are at a crossroads, having to choose between two or more life altering alternatives.  A path is the course, conduct or action that a person will take. Life is frail and short. Too often we leap and act without 'counting the cost' before we build, or making sure we're prepared for the fight. Jesus said that even the price of following Him in discipleship must be carefully weighed. (Luke 14:25-28) We are to give vigilant consideration to ALL of our ways: not just the path itself, but ponder our methods, character, and habitual behavioral patterns. "Is the way I'm going where God is leading?" "Is the way I AM helping or hurting my getting there?"

Signage in companies says, "EST." and a date - when the company was ESTABLISHED.  It's no
longer just an idea in the founder's mind: the paperwork has been filed with the State, a building has been secured, employees have been hired, the shelves have been stocked, a grand opening has taken place and it's been around for a while. The entity has been brought into an incontrovertible existence: one that cannot be denied or disputed.  The Bible is speaking to us about our lives, families, plans and visions. This establishment process is in 5 Phases according to the Lexicon:

1. Formation - initial planning or Vision.
2. Actionable Preparation for a future event. It is not enough to have an idea, if it is never acted upon.
3. Establishing or Fixing - having it under control. The goal is accomplished. The entity is created and functioning well.
4. Establishment of a Dynasty - future perpetuation, inheritance or legacy.
5. Satisfaction - a sense of well being that we can go on to the next thing because this one will be taken care of.

For some of you, this may be one of the most important life-guiding things you'll ever read, and I hope follow! Here are three closing thoughts: 

• "Every minute you spend planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1000 percent return on energy."- Brian Tracy 
• "Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work."Peter Drucker
• "A good plan violently executed NOW is better than a perfect plan executed next week." - General George S. Patton

Take some time out today to look at your life and ponder the path of your feet...

 

New Life Covenant's Annual 30 for $30 Campaign is starting!  For the next 30 days up to our 3rd Anniversary, we are asking friends and family to support our local missions projects for 2016 with a donation of $30 or more. CLICK HERE TO DONATE  Our first event is this Monday, February the 22nd serving dinner for 100 people at Phil's Community Meal at CAIN (Churches Active In Northside) Ministry.

 

 

New Life Covenant Cincinnati Sundays at    11:00 AM                   Urban Artifact 1660 Blue Rock Street Cincinnati OH 45223 Visit Our Website

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - QUARREL - Sadell Bradley- 02/09/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

The photo above is exactly how I felt on social media yesterday. It happens every once in a while, not just to me but to many of my friends.  We'll be sharing a different opinion/perspective on an issue and be met with serious hostility, usually from a Christian brother or sister. Because of a view I shared on disparities and double standards in perceptions of African-Americans vs. Caucasians.  I was shamed and told that I was an affront to the Gospel and not a Christian leader. 

This really shocked me. 1) I was just posing a question/alternative thought for discussion, 2) I welcomed all opinions (we are not a monolith) and 3) this issue definitely had nothing to do
with my love for Jesus or leadership in the Church.  To the contrary, these types of discussions are meant to expose the subtleties of the SIN of racism and classism; to bring light to a very dark area in our underbelly and move us to a greater sensitivity and one day hopefully unity. I stated that despite our differing opinions, I would never suggest that disagreement would be tantamount to another person not being saved or a leader. It was not my intent to start or be involved in a quarrel. A QUARREL is an angry argument or disagreement, typically between people who are usually on good terms. So I took the post down.

Paul said that quarreling was something that Believers should avoid. God's servants had to learn to disagree agreeably, and have patience with the process of change in people's lives. I'm wondering how some of their disagreements about Gentiles being engrafted into salvation with the Jews might have gone...  
 

Again I say,don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants. (2 Timothy 2:23-26)

I pray that the Lord will bring us to a maturity that enables us to have hard discussions without judgment and shaming that will not engender strife, but bring about UNITY in the Body of Christ, and that we won't quit along the way...

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - EDIFY - Sadell Bradley 02/02/16 - New Life Covenant Cincinnati

 

 

 

 

 

EDIFY or EDIFICATION mean to instruct or improve someone morally or intellectually.  From the Old French edifier, "to build" like the word edifice.  The word originally meant "to construct a building" or to "strengthen." 

God is in the building business! He wants families, His Church, and individuals built up into wholeness, strength and maturity. "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established." (Prov. 23:4) "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands a foolish one tears hers down." (Prov. 14:1) Jesus said "upon this Rock (the revelation that He was the Christ, the Son of God) I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. " (Matthew 16:18) He taught His disciples that the wise man builds His house upon the Rock and when storms winds and floods descend upon his life, he does not collapse because his life is founded upon the Rock.  (Matt. 7:24-25)

It's no coincidence that the Lord desires our relationships be about building and not tearing down.  He wants us to focus on strengthening one another spiritually, morally and intellectually.  The way we do that is with our WORDS!  Words have power!  The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21) Every time we put our mouths on some person or issue, we are either speaking LIFE or DEATH - building them up or tearing them down. We are called to EDIFY others.

Paul's admonition was very clear: Let no corrupt communication proceed from your mouth.  Other translations say  Don't let any unwholesome, foul launguage, abusive, hateful or filthy words that would hurt someone come out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29) We are to say words that are fit for the occasion that dispel GRACE- favor that they sometimes don't deserve, and words that embolden them with Divine strength and power where they're weak. 

Oh boy! How? We are so used to judging others, joking, criticizing, "playing the dozens", and propping ourselves and our insecurities up on the backs of people we deem lesser than us... but NONE of this reflects God's kind of life. Let's change our hearts and use our mouths for edification in 2016!