Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson
2016-08
Episodes
Sunday Aug 28, 2016
"How to See Better & Live Better" - Pt. 3 "See God Bigger"
Sunday Aug 28, 2016
Sunday Aug 28, 2016
The bigger you see God, the more He can do for you and the more you can do for Him.
Amos 4:13 He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth-- the LORD God Almighty is his name.
When you have seen the greatness of God you will not be as impressed by lesser things.
The devil tried to impressed Jesus and gain his attention and loyalty. It didn’t work!
Luke 4:5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan!For t is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve
God develops both transcendent and immanent aspects of His nature. The transcendent nature is not like people and infinitely above people. The immanent nature is intimately present with people and among people. God’s transcendence places Him beyond the limits of time and space. His nature as uncreated and separate from His creation is a fundamental concept distinguishing a biblical understanding of God from other philosophical or religious theories, such as pantheism or monism.” (Faithlife Study Bible)
We use a lot of big words when we talk about God.
Omnipotent. Omnipresent. Omniscient. He is all-powerful, all-present, and all knowing
Sunday Aug 21, 2016
"How to See Better & Live Better" - Pt. 2, Change Your Perspective
Sunday Aug 21, 2016
Sunday Aug 21, 2016
"How to See Better & Live Better" - Pt. 2, Change Your Perspective
Trouble can be a opportunity for greater focus
2 Cor 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Psychologists did a study of elite athletes who were struck with injury or adversity. They initially felt isolated and developed doubts about their abilities. In the time, they gained a desire to help others and realize greater strengths in themselves. It called "adversarial growth" or "post traumatic growth." We say, "That which does not kill me makes me stronger."
The struggle against an obstacle propels a fighter to a new level of functioning. After Simone Biles almost fell off the balance beam, she came back the next day and earned an almost perfect score.
Action is commonplace, correct action is not commonplace. Everything must be done in the service of the greater purpose. In life, it doesn’t matter what happens to you or where you came from. It matters what you do with what happens and what you’ve been given. And the only way you’ll do something spectacular is by using it all to your advantage. (Ryan Holiday)
Through good perspective, we can always greet our obstacles:
with energy with persistence
with a coherent and deliberate process
with iteration and resilience (Like Thomas Edison finding better filament for light bulb)
and an eye for opportunity and pivotal moments
What seems to be failure is just “feedback” giving you precise instructions on how to improve (Ryan Holiday)
God offers you higher thoughts and higher ways to help change your perspective
”Isa 55:8-9: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts
Sunday Aug 14, 2016
Sunday Aug 14, 2016
How to See Better & Live Better
Pt 1 The Power of Good Eyes
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" – Matthew 6:23-24
How we see or perceive is one of the important keys to victorious living, success, and fruitful ministry.
"Perception is how we see and understand what occurs around us—and what we decide those events will mean. Our perceptions can be a source of strength or of great weakness. Faulty perceptions lead to misdirection & disconnection. We participate in creation and destruction of our obstacles.
So what are your perceptions today?" (Ryan Holiday, The Obstacle is the Way)
There things in life that we can and cannot control. Our perception is one of the things we can control. We want to have "healthy eyes," which is seeking things as they are and through the Word of God. Bad perception taints our world and our reality. As Jesus said, when your eyes are healthy, your whole body (life) is full of light. On the other hand, when you eyes are unhealthy, your body is full of darkness.
One key to healthy perception is to be objective.
Definition: not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased. Intent upon or dealing with things external to the mind rather than with thoughts or feelings, as a person or a book.
Unhealthy perception often comes from being subjective:
Based on feelings or opinions rather than facts; Pacing emphasis on one's own feeling, mood, attitude, and opinions
[Simone Manual gold medal performance: http://www.newcovenant.org/Simone.mp4]
Monday Aug 08, 2016
Fight the Good Fight of Faith: Doing Good, Not Growing Faint
Monday Aug 08, 2016
Monday Aug 08, 2016
Fight the Good Fight of Faith
Doing Good, Not Growing Faint
1 Tim. 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses
2 Cor. 2:14, Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the fragrance of his knowledge by us in every place.
2 Timothy 4:6, For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
Sometimes you want to win because of who is watching. That is the value of living in the light and letting people see your good works.
We don't fight the good fight of faith to win. We fight the good fight because we have already won. That's why is a GOOD fight!
Have you ever recorded a basketball game to watch later, only to have someone tell you the score before you had a chance to watch the recording? When you found out that your team lost, your don't want to watch it. Why? Because a good fight is when your team wins.
We fight a good fight because in Jesus Christ, WE WIN!
When you watch a recording of the game in which your team won, the outcome was not in doubt. As a matter of fact, if I record a game, I prefer in advance to know if my team won. For me, know that my team fought a good victorious fight, and watching it, is more enjoyable.
Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith
The good fight of faith is not about fighting for what you already have or already see. The good fight is about not growing weary while doing good.
The good fight of faith is all about continuing to do good, knowing that in due season you will reap....if you don't faint or lose heart
Sunday Jul 31, 2016
True Worship: The Lifestyle of Spirit & Truth
Sunday Jul 31, 2016
Sunday Jul 31, 2016
True Worship: The Lifestyle of Spirit & Truth
2 Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
Timothy 4:1, Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron
John 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24] God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
Deuteronomy 26:8 'So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9] He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, "a land flowing with milk and honey"; 10] and now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land which you, O LORD, have given me.' Then you shall set it before the LORD your God, and worship before the LORD your God. 11] So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the LORD your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you.
Worship is an all encompassing, all inclusive experience. It is both spiritual and physical; temporal and eternal. It involves the total person, spirit, soul, body and even our possessions. We must challenge ourselves to worship God in fullness and in the release of everything to Him.
It is human nature to worship according to our own preferences and pleasures—like the Samaritan woman. However, the problem with such worship is that it is unbalanced and conveniently neglects that part of worship which is undesirable.
God requires that we worship Him at two levels at all times: “In Spirit” and “In Truth.”
a. “In Spirit” addresses the supernatural dimension of our walk with God and the transcendent nature of His presence
b. “In Truth” addresses the practical, everyday actions we engage in obedience to the Truth. Jesus said, “Your Word is Truth.”
ROM 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (“your act of spiritual worship” -NIV).