WEDNESDAY'S WORD - VORTEX - Sadell Bradley - 05/01/2024

WEDNESDAY'S WORD VORTEX 5/1/2024 “You will witness many tragic and dangerous events throughout your life. Some of these events will try to pull you in, just like a river vortex. If you stay away from these whirlpools, you will travel longer in the river called life!" –Mehmet Murat İldan - Turkish Playright WORSHIP WITH US THIS SUNDAY! 9AM Bible Study, 10AM Worship   A VORTEX is a mass of whirling fluid or air, especially a whirlpool or a whirlwind. Another word for the circular movement of water, wind, air, or smoke, is an eddy. Have you ever felt like your life was swirling? The strong winds are blowing and it seems like things are spiraling out of control. You're being pulled in...but sometimes things are actually spinning into a better future. You may not be able to regulate events—but God is still guiding and directing everything that is happening. Marvel comic fans have watched the character Dr. Strange create vortex portals in time as characters are sucked in and their realities are changed. In Scripture, the prophet Elisha saw his mentor Elijah translated to glory in 2 Kings 2:11, "As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven." The vortex's power was not just a portal for Elijah's ride to the afterlife, but to Elisha's ascendancy with the mantle of a prophet. JOB's life was spiraling out of control. God had given Satan permission to try Job's faith and commitment to worship the LORD no matter what. The enemy caused the winds of life to blow strongly. They swiftly took his fortune, the lives of his children and servants, and the support of his spouse. When Job did not buckle under the pressure of the swirling, the devil attacked his health. The storm was raging and his friends were giving him awful advice. It is interesting what the Bible records about God answering Job, "Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind." (Job 38:1) God gave Job a myriad of reasons why HE is the LORD and Job was not. The LORD confronted him for doubting and questioning His choices in Chapter 40:1-7: "Then the Lord said to Job, 2 “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?” 3 Then Job replied to the Lord, 4 “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. 5 I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say." 6 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: 7 “Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.” I wonder if you're in a vortex. Things are swirling and it seems like you might be going down for the last time. Perhaps like Job, you have begun to question God about what He is doing (or not doing), and about your place in His plan. You've been criticizing and questioning the LORD's movement, and you've been waiting for things to stop to hear Him speak. Maybe God is going to answer you from the whirlwind.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - PEACE - Sadell Bradley 4/24/2024

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD PEACE 4/24/2024 "Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset." – Saint Francis DeSales WORSHIP WITH US THIS SUNDAY! 9AM Bible Study, 10AM Worship   "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." —Mother Teresa I've been thinking a lot about peace lately. Maybe it's because, outside of praying, I feel helpless to do anything about the wars, or the political and economic climate we're facing. It's not just nation against nation overseas. We have cultural, religious, and class/caste wars here. The hostility in the Middle East has found it's way to US shores—to the upper echelons of American Academia. Students from Harvard, The University of Pennsylvania (my alma mater), and most recently Columbia University have added their vitriolic engagement to what has seemed to be a never-ending irreconcilable conflict. The Presidents of these schools have to navigate this dissension in the annals of institutions that were created to foster free speech and openness of ideas and relationships. Peace seems hard to come by these days. PEACE is a word with many meanings. For individuals it is freedom from disturbance; tranquility; mental calm; serenity. For countries it is a state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended. In municipalities, peace might mean freedom from civil disorder, or freedom from disputes or dissension between individuals or groups. Some churches "pass the peace," offering a ceremonial handshake or holy kiss as a sign of God's love and unity. In Mark 4:37-39, Jesus, used the word peace as a command to the winds and waves that were howling around the boat He and the disciples were on. They were exasperated, thinking their Master, who was asleep on a pillow, didn't care if they perished or died. Jesus knew, and He cared. "He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm." I imagine stillness came not just to the raging seas, but to the disciples as well. Just having Jesus with us can be our assurance. There are times we need Jesus to command peace, not just to the external forces beating on our proverbial ships, but to the internal wars raging within us. Peace! Be still. Peace can feel unattainable in a world of strife, battles, and antagonisms. This was true when Jesus was preparing His disciples for the tumultuous times they would face after His resurrection. He prophesied all that would occur, including the trials they would face. He explained, "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Jesus gave us His peace as a gift, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27) True peace is only found in our identification with, and connection to the LORD Jesus. Just because things are going on around us...doesn't mean they have to be going on within us. God is in full control. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Isaiah 26:3

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - PROOF- Sadell Bradley - 04/17/2024

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD PROOF 4/17/2024 "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." – Stuart Chase, American Writer WORSHIP WITH US THIS SUNDAY! 9AM Bible Study, 10AM Worship   "In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence." —Sir Isaac Newton, Scientist PROOF is evidence or argument that establishes or helps to establish a fact or the truth of a statement. In the law, it is the spoken or written evidence in a trial. In mathematics and philosophy, PROOF is a series of stages in the resolution of a problem. In printing and photography, a proof is a trial impression of a page used for making corrections before final printing. In a distillery, it is the strength of alcohol or liquor. In all cases, PROOF includes a test or trial of something to establish its verity. In the weeks after Resurrection Sunday, we focus on Jesus' appearances to His followers. Luke tells us, "During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God." Acts 1:3) Other translations say that Jesus gave them many convincing, unquestionable, or infallible proofs that He was alive. Jesus' post resurrection manifestations were meant to leave His followers with absolutely no doubt. Paul also records these appearances as PROOF of the resurrection and of Jesus' ascension back to Heaven in 1 Corinthians 15: 3I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.  Here Paul references his own encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, which is recorded in Acts 9. The fact that the Messiah would choose to save and redeem someone who persecuted the Church for Paul was further proof that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all." (1 Timothy 1:15) Unfortunately, we humans are like Sherlock Holmes, looking for a reasonable explanation for something (the resurrection of the dead) that defies reason and must be accepted and believed by faith. One thing that presents convincing proof is the way these apostles lived and died defending the Gospel. They, and those who followed them were willing to be mocked, beaten, imprisoned, clubbed to death, beheaded, boiled in oil, sawn in half, pierced with spears, eaten by lions, and crucified. Peter was crucified upside-down because he did not want to be executed in the same way as Jesus. These eye-witnesses to Jesus' resurrection and ascension could never take back what they had seen and heard, so they were willing to die rather than deny Him. Their unyielding honesty and sacrifice is why we are all able to follow Jesus today.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - WOUNDED - Sadell Bradley - 04/10/2024

WEDNESDAY'S WORD WOUNDED 4/10/2024 "If your body is damaged, wounded, it can be fixed, but if inside, mentally you are wounded, you cannot fix it, it's hard." – Haile Gebrselassie - Ethiopian Athlete

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Come, you disconsolate, where'er you languish; come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel. Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; earth has no sorrows that Heaven cannot heal.  —Thomas Moore, Hymn Writer Disconsolate is not a word we generally use. It means without consolation or comfort; unhappy; or cheerless. It's not today's word, but it is the feeling that comes after you are wounded. A WOUND is an injury to living tissue caused by a cut, blow, or other impact. Figuratively, a WOUND is an injury to a person's feelings or reputation. Have you ever been wounded? A wound is different than a scab or a scar. A scab is the dry, rough, protective crust that forms over a wound as it is healing. A scar is the mark left after a wound has healed. It reminds you of what occurred. The pain is gone, even if the memory is not. I have a small scar on my face that happened in a physical fight in my youth. It reminds me not to do that again, LOL! After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples and allowed them to see His crucifixion wounds firsthand. Thomas, one of the disciples said,  “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” (John 20:25b, NLT) Isn't it amazing that Jesus was willing to show His followers His wounds so that they would believe in Him? What a mark of true love and leadership. He did not pretend that He wasn't hurt. I wonder what spiritual, mental, and emotional healing might occur if we were willing to show others our wounds, and trust God to heal us. The psalmist says of the LORD, "He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow]." (Psalm 147:3, AMP) Isaiah prophesied about the wounds the coming Messiah would endure for our sakes in Isaiah 53:4-6, NKJV: 4Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Job endured more than most people ever could. His friends and family were not much help. One friend, Eliphaz though in error about why Job was experiencing his trials, made a true statement about the LORD—especially when we're under His training and discipline for our sins,"For though he wounds, he also bandages. He strikes, but his hands also heal." (Job 5:18) God heals our hearts, even when we're living with the consequences of our own missteps. Jesus endured and carried the pain of our wounds. Healing is available to you and to me.

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - APPEAR- Sadell Bradley - 04/03/2024

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD APPEAR 4/3/2024 "The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear." – Socrates MEN'S RETREAT "THIS MEANS WAR" SATURDAY! APRIL 6th REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE $25   After dying on the cross for the sins of mankind, Jesus, demonstrated His resurrection by appearing to His followers. Luke records in Acts 1:3,"During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God." (NLT) Other versions call Jesus' appearances infallible or convincing proofs, or unquestionable demonstrations. To APPEAR means to come into sight; become visible or noticeable, typically without visible agent or apparent cause. It also means to seem; to give the impression of being. To the rest of the world, it seemed or appeared as if the great prophetic rabbi, Jesus, was dead and gone. I can imagine the folks who'd received healings and miracles, the thousands he fed, or those present at his teachings, mourning saying, "He was such a good man, holding so much of God's power. We'd hoped He was the chosen Messiah, but He still did many good works for God! A shame He had to die in such a brutal way. I wonder where His followers are now..." Those who loved Him missed Him greatly. It seemed as if they'd never see Jesus, their friend, teacher, and guide again— and that all hope of playing a significant role in His Kingdom purposes was lost. Things are not always as they appear. After rising from the dead, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdelene, one of His female followers out of whom He'd cast seven demons. Mary was the one who announced to the disciples and Peter that Jesus had risen, but they didn't believer her. (Mark 16:9-11) Jesus appeared on the Emmaus Road to two disciples who did not recognize Him at first (Luke 24). Among other appearances over 40 days were to His disciples and 'doubting Thomas' came to believe by touching the nail prints in His hands and the scars on His side. Jesus restored Peter in friendship and calling as an under-shepherd of the Church in John 20, by exhorting Peter "Feed My sheep," thereby forgiving Peter's three betrayals. Aren't you glad Jesus didn't just leave it to their imaginations to wonder if He'd actually risen. These infallible proofs caused His followers to be willing to suffer and die horrific deaths as martyrs...because they could not unsee what they'd seen with their own eyes. This is in great part why Christianity exists today. Sometimes circumstances are not as they appear. Maybe what you're thinking about a person is not entirely true or as it seems to be, Perhaps all is not lost in your situation, even though it appears so. The Holy Spirit's power of resurrection is still at work, possibly opening the door to a reappearing.