WEDNESDAY'S WORD - DARING - Sadell Bradley - 10/27/21

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD DARING 10/27/2021 “ "Whatever there may be of progress in life comes not through adaptation but through daring." —Henry Miller For his birthday in August, my husband Sherman jumped out of an airplane. Yes, he checked it off of his bucket list. Loot at the experience his courage bought! He has a daring personality. DARING means adventurous or audaciously bold; boldly unconventional; adventurous courage, to take the risk, to be brave. Author Alvin Toffler said, "It is better to err on the side of daring than the side of caution." I wonder how many would agree. One of my strengths is intellection according to Gallup's Strengthsfinder 2.0. The weakness of that strength is a tendency to overthink. One of Sherman's strengths is activator—he moves. We both have strengths—together we have balance. Do you remember the game Truth or Dare? You were given the choice to answer a private question, or accept a dare to do something adventurous in front of your friends. We didn't know back then that relational vulnerability is just as daring as audacious actions.We know it all too well now. Do you take relational risks? Daring is another word for boldness: the willingness to take risks and act with innovation; confidence or courage. Psalm 28:1 declares, "The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion." Daring is an attribute of Christ followers who, even in trial and injury, boldly declare His Word and promises. They daringly love in the midst of rejection, abandonment, persecution, and relational difficulty. The psalmist cries out, "Let your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I’ll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word. Don’t ever deprive me of truth, not ever— your commandments are what I depend on. Oh, I’ll guard with my life what you’ve revealed to me, guard it now, guard it ever; And I’ll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom; Then I’ll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed. I cherish your commandments—oh, how I love them!— relishing every fragment of your counsel." (Psalm 119:41-48, MSG) Where in your life could you be more daring?  WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY COURAGE:  RELATIONAL RISK TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org

WEDNESDAY'S WORD- SLIPSTREAM - Sadell Bradley-10/20/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD SLIPSTREAM 10/20/2021 “ "I wish I'd learned then that when you call someone's bluff you usually win: it's simply not what the other person is expecting. And swimming along in the slipstream of another's current is no way to live". — Harriet Evans, Author A SLIPSTREAM is an assisting force that draws something along behind something else. It is a partial vacuum created in the wake of a moving vehicle used by other vehicles. If an object is following another object, the rear object requires less power or fuel to maintain its speed than if it is moving independently. This phenomenon with cars in auto races is called drafting. It's a passing technique that you may have also seen used by distance runners. They form a line behind the leader as a part of their strategy. The first runner sets the pace and assumes the brunt of the wind's resistance. Even birds migrating hundreds of miles use this approach to share the burden and conserve energy. I've seen slipstreaming in lots of places, but not in Theology or Christology until today. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Heb. 12:1-2) In this passage Jesus is called the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. That means He was the first to explore, develop, and settle into the territory called faith. Other translations define this Greek word arxegos as founder, leader, originator, author, or prince. From the roots arxe, "the first" and ago, "to lead," the Lexicon states that Jesus "is the first in a long procession; a file-leader who pioneers the way for others to follow." Today, we learned that Jesus creates a slipstream, and that when we stay close behind Him—He takes the brunt of the wind and the risks facing us. We receive the benefit of his breakthroughs. So contrary to the quote above, swimming in Jesus' slipstream is the only way to live!  WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY SECURE TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - BLIND SPOT - Sadell Bradley - 10/13/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD BLIND SPOT 10/13/2021   “We all have blind spots – those areas for improvement and growth. As painful as it can be to admit we’re doing things we never wanted to do and saying things we never wanted to say, it is this acknowledgement that enables us to take the first step toward change. Be gentle with yourself. Be real with yourself. Take baby steps.”― Rhonda Louise Robbins

We've all been there. Happily driving along the road looking ahead and about to change lanes. As we're coming over...we hear a horn sound. Another car is in our BLIND SPOT. It's startling. You become frustrated at yourself for what you didn't or couldn't see coming. You're relieved that the BLIND SPOT - the area where your view was obstructed, didn't cause a severe accident. Figuratively, a blind spot is an area where someone lacks understanding or impartiality. Sometimes relational blind spots can cause harm or injury. Everyone has blind spots, areas where our ‘view’ of a situation is obstructed by feelings, pride, shame, or defenses to shield us from the past.   To the left is an instrument used in psychology called the Johari Window. It reveals how each person has places in their life that are OPEN—known to yourself and others, HIDDEN—known to yourself but not known to others, BLIND SPOTS—not known to yourself but known to others, and UNKNOWN—not known to yourself nor others. Because our knowledge of ourselves is partial, and our knowledge of others is even less...Jesus instructed us not to judge, “Refuse to be a critic full of bias toward others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you’ll be judged by the same standard that you’ve used to judge others. The measurement you use on them will be used on you. 3 Why would you focus on the flaw in someone else’s life and fail to notice the glaring flaws of your own? 4 How could you say to your friend, ‘Let me show you where you’re wrong,’ when you’re guilty of even more? 5 You’re being hypercritical and a hypocrite! First acknowledge and deal with your own ‘blind spots,’ and then you’ll be capable of dealing with the ‘blind spot’ of your friend." (Matt. 7:1-5, TPT) Webster says the phrase, "Stay in your own lane," advises against expressing thoughts or opinions on subjects about which one has insufficient knowledge or ability. In driving as well as in life—staying in your lane is the safest course of action.

 WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY BLESSED are the PERSECUTED TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - IRASCIBLE- Sadell Bradley - 10/05/2021

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD IRASCIBLE 10/5/2021 “The most irascible person is most likely to become apathetic in dangerous situations." - Franz Grillparzer - Austrian Dramatist IRASCIBLE means having or showing a tendency to be easily angered. We might call such a person quick-tempered, snappy, or hot headed. The opposite of irascible is placid, calm or peaceful— someone who is not easily upset or excited. The LORD uses the phrase 'slow to anger,' to describe His character when Moses ascends Mt. Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, "5Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:5-7) We see this combination of God's love, mercy, and judgment when He introduces Himself. God is not irascible. It takes Him a while to become angry. What about you? Are you slow or quick to anger? Christ's followers must keep their irascibility in check. "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." (James 1:19-21) Proverbs 14:17 says, "A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated." Your anger may not look like someone else's. Sometimes anger explodes. At other times it's quiet but calculating, and it simmers. Certain circumstances or statements can cause anger to arise within us, but the character of God is for us to be merciful, compassionate, gentle and unhurried when it comes to anger..  WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY BLESSED are the MERCIFUL TONIGHT 7:00 pm EST @warehouseOTR on Facebook or YouTube thewarehousechurch.org