Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

Never Accept Condemnation From Others or Yourself – ”Who I Am In Christ” Firm Foundation 21-Day Devotional

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.One of the complex and recurring problems that many people face is the feeling of condemnation. “Condemn” means, "To pronounce to be guilty, to sentence to punishment, or to pass judgment against.”Condemnation is complex because it can present in many ways: 1) As real, 2) As imagined, 3) From others against yourself, 4) You against yourself, 5) As a demonic attack.Regardless of the source, the feeling is the same: You feel guilty of something. You think you deserve punishment. This feeling can linger like a dark cloud blocking all light. The mind can replay bad experiences and hurtful words, long after (sometimes years and decades after!), something occurred. Recalling past pain creates another problem, because pain distorts memory. The distortion can become so severe that the mind can create an alternate reality – to include past things imagined that feel real when looking back at it. Real things that occurred in the past can torture your present.There is no minimizing trauma and there are no easy answers if you are dealing with unresolved matters. This blog post is not your entire answer. Sometimes, you must reach out for help from people qualified to provide expert support such as pastoral or professional counseling.In all cases, self-condemnation offers nothing helpful. When you've done something wrong, the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin. This may feel like condemnation, but it is not. Conviction of sin is a genuine and helpful feeling that you need to "get it right" with God and others. Neglecting the Lord, His Word, and fellowship with believers opens the door to negative feelings and mindsets such as condemnation. Every feeling of condemnation is unnecessary because:
1. Jesus has forgiven your sins and changed your heart (if you received Him as Lord). There is NOTHING about which to feel condemned…not even things people say to you.2. GRACE IS STRONG. It is stronger than your mistakes. It is stronger than controlling people who want to use feeling of guilt to control you. It is stronger than the devil who is called, "The accuser of our brothers and sisters..." (Revelation 12:10)3. When you "walk in the Spirit' or walk with God moment-by-moment, you will find encouragement everywhere you look.Reflection Questions:1. Do you need pastoral or professional counseling to address neglected matters?2. Why is a feeling of condemnation never necessary?3. What will you do to allow grace to develop in your life?

Systems of Failure & Success | Part Seven of Navigate: How to Successful Journey Through Life and These Times

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES & NOTES
 
Ecclesiastes 7:29 ESV, See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.Matthew 6:10, Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. What is a System?•  A system affects the whole not only the parts, which is why we call its effect “systemic.” Systematic is doing something in steps.•  Systems are embedded within and spread throughout and affecting a group, system, body, economy, market, or community.•  Systems can either contribute to your failure or to your success, but you get to decide.Common Systems In Our LivesEducationFinancePublic Health (vaccines)Law & JusticePoliticsReligionGod’s SystemPsalm 103:19 NLT, "The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything."•  You were born into a world and nation with systems already in place•  Many systems were invented to help you (Family, Education, Kingdom of God). •  Some systems were invented to control people (Segregation & Jim Crow in the past, White Supremacy today).•  Some systems were invented to explain/expose other systems (Direct Action, Critical Race Theory)
 
Navigating systems of God and men is essential for living a productive life. We are all parts of things larger than ourselves. The whole concept of navigating is based on dealing with forces and factors that we cannot control. What you cannot control, you must navigate.
 
In our time, systems that serve or seek to control us are shaped by our habits and reinforced by something called “algorithms”
 
•  Social media algorithms are a way of sorting posts in a users' feed based on user preferences. 
•  Social networks prioritize which content a user sees in their feed first by the likelihood that they'll actually want to see it. 
•  Social networks prioritize which content a user has already seen.
 
The Kingdom System & Algorithm 
Matthew 25:29, For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
 
DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES & NOTES

Navigate, The Conquerer‘s Mindset | Patricia A. Hudson

Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Navigating Systems of God and Men | Part Six of Navigate: How to Successful Journey Through Life and These Times

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Ecclesiastes  7:29 ESV, See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.
Matthew 6:10, Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 
We are not aware of many of the systems within which we operate.
When we use the word systemic, it is mostly understood within the framework of systemic racism. 
What is a System?
A system affects the whole instead of just parts, which is why we call its effect “systemic.”  Systematic is doing something in steps.
Systems are embedded within and spread throughout and affecting a group, body, economy, market, or community.
Systems are fundamental social, economic, religious, or political practice. 
The Bible does not use the word system in the way we are talking about it today. However, God has ordered creation according to a system. We can call it the Kingdom of God.
Psalm 103:19, The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all

10 Things You Can Do | Part Five of Navigate: How to Successful Journey Through Life and These Times

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES
Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
At times in life we hit a rough patch. Sometimes things don't go well, but that is no commentary on your life. 
God’s plan has not changed.
There is always a way forward.
You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.
Forbes Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/09/01/going-through-a-life-crisis-15-ways-to-navigate-the-questioning-phase/?sh=6008152860f4
Ryan Holiday book, The Obstacle is the Way: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G3L1B8K/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_EYYREG1HQWFTKHHFT894
 
 

The Compass of Love | Part Four of Navigate: How to Successful Journey Through Life and These Times

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES
1 John 4:7, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
WHAT IS LOVE? LOVE IS A COMPASS.
John 3:16 Tells you everything essential that you need to know about the love of God, or what we can call “the God kind of love.”  There are four important ingredients to the God kind of love.
1. Love is universal and not selective
2. Love is sacrificial and not selfish
3. Love gives and doesn’t take
4. Love leads to safe places
 
Contrasted to the “world’s kind of love”  we find quite the opposite.  The worldly kind of love is:
1. Narrow and highly selective
2. Stingy and selfish
3. Motivated by selfish gain
4. The best interests of others is not in view
How we relate to, and navigate with, others is one of the most important skills of life. Entire books and courses are dedicated to how to relate to others. All this is good, but walking in love is the most helpful. 
James called it the “Royal Law.” 
James 2:8, Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:17-18)

NAVIGATE: Part 3 – Power of Nurture: Preparing Children to Navigate Life

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES
How we help children function or navigate early in life, charts the path for their future. How they learn to see themselves and interact with others, leads to the best outcomes.
Children Need NURTURE.Defined: Care for and encourage the growth or development of.
Parenting is relational, not transactional
Proverbs 1:7
 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; 9  For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck.
Matthew 18:6 
If anyone causes one of these little ones--those who believe in me--to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 
2 Timothy 1:5
For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Self Care: Fit for the Journey | Part Two of Navigate: How to Successful Journey Through Life and These Times

FOR MORE, DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES
Mark 6:30, Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.
When taking a voyage of any type, before starting the navigation to the destination, check the readiness of the vessel. We are going to focus on self-care, not in a spirit of self indulgence, but in the spirit of being ready to serve the Lord. We want to be “Fit for the Journey.” The need for self-care is not evidence of a deficiency within yourself, it is evidence that you've been about the Father’s business.
Principles of Self-Care: 
1. REST  –  Good rest is one of the most important things you can do for your self care. Rest is not only about sleeping, which is a part of rest. Rest is a state of mind. If you don’t get rest in your mind, it may be difficult to go to sleep:
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
FOR MORE, DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES
 
 

NAVIGATE. How to Successfully Journey Through Life & These Times - Part One

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES AND NOTES
Navigate is the best word I have found to characterize living and working in this interesting and sometimes perilous season. Looking at people and circumstances both within my circle and within our local and national community, we see challenges related to navigating life. We have seen both successful voyages and shipwrecks. 
Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
We can’t make sense of things that happen. We don’t dwell on bad things because “things” don’t define us. 
We are defined by our LOVE for God and fulfilling His PURPOSE— which causes the puzzle of things to work for our good.
What I mean by the word NAVIGATE:
1) Plan and direct the route or course of a ship, aircraft, or other form of transportation, especially by using instruments or maps.
2) To sail or travel over (a stretch of water or terrain), especially carefully or with difficulty.
3) Successful navigation or travel is based on fixed points of reference
Navigation Requires Fixed Points (coordinates)
#1 Jesus Christ 
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 )
#2 The Word of God 
#3 Objective Truth and Facts
We have to recognize truth at two levels: 
Biblical truth and, 
Objective truth. Believers who over spiritualize completely miss the importance of objective truth. Something which the Bible supports

Remember. Don't Look Back.

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE & NOTES
One of the great challenges in life is dealing with circumstances in the present time that have roots in the past. Obviously, we are all products of our past. It’s important to separate out the negative and ungodly memories from the past and focus on the good. This is easy to say, but sometimes hard to do. Some people have lived through nightmares in their past lives.  In Christ, you are a new person!
Luke 9:59, Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God." 61 And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house." 62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
2 Corinthians 5:17, (NLT)This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Beware of the lure of lesser things.1. When given an opportunity to move forward in the purpose of God. Lesser things usually come from the past to hinder you from your future.2. When Jesus calls you, don’t make any excuses. An excuse is usually an attachment to lesser things.
Philippians 3:13, Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 
What lesson can we learn from Lot’s wife?
Luke 17:32, Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
Remember and Don’t Look Back1. Make the commitment, “This One Thing I Do.”2. Forgetting the things that are behind. Don’t look back.3. Reach forward to the things that are ahead.4. Do it today!