Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

Mercy: Your Partner in Opportunity

Mercy is not only for people who make mistakes. Mercy is for people who need God help them "redeem the time" or "make the most an opportunity."
Eph 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Be Still. Stop All this Noise.

Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

2012 - A Year of Opportunity & Poured Out Blessings!

Eph. 5:15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity [redeem the time], because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

What to Do After Acting Insanely: A Lesson From David

1 Sam 21:12 Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? 15 Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”
Psalm 34: 8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.

I am the Body of Christ

Our identity is both individual and collective. It is never either/or but both/and. Therefore, we can say, “I Am the Body of Christ.” AND we can say “We are the Body of Christ.”
In Christ we find our purpose and unity within diversity
Matt. 16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed[a] in heaven.”

Navigating Your Course in Life

Good navigation requires a constant reference. It has to be a reference outside of ourselves. Ships on the sea used stars. Now we have GPS satellites, which provide have fixed coordinates. We use maps that are preprinted, which are fixed coordinates.
People escaping slavery where helped by a network of people, white and black, who charted secret passage ways, including on boats and trains, to get people safely to the North. People like William Still, Levi Coffin, and Harriet Tubman helped thousands of people to escape slavery. On a clear night, they could use the North Star as a fixed coordinate for heading north. It was also a symbol of hope.
As the earth rotates, stars appear to move across the sky, like the sun and moon during daytime Because the star that we call “North Star” is positioned above the axis of earth’s North Pole, the north star appears to not move. The technical name for this kind of star is a Polaris. All the other stars appear to rotate around it. Our North Star cannot be seen by people in the southern hemisphere. There is a Polaris for the southern hemisphere, but it’s too faith to see with the naked eye.
The word of God is our reference. God’s word is our North Star and Polaris. The Name of Jesus is our authority and reference point. Just like the North Star provided an undisputed reference to travelers, the name of Jesus is above every other name.
Trying to navigate your course in life without a fixed reference, is like setting out into woods without a compass or star map.
1 Pet. 4:7, The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
Ancient sailors used the stars to navigate. They looked forward to the night, so that they could see the stars. Sometimes the darkest nights of your life can become the best opportunity to gain the clear direction from God.

God's Soldier, Warrior, Athlete, & Farmer

2 Timothy 2:1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. 8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Your Prescription for Joy & Peace

Phil 4:5b-7 ...Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.

God's Benefits Package, Pt. 1

Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. 10 For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
The word “saved” in the Bible does not mean one thing. The word “saved” is a loaded word and a loaded reality. The greek word for saved is “sozo.” It means,
To save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction; to save a suffering one, to make well, heal, restore to health; to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue; to deliver from the penalties of the divine judgment; to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance
This is part of what the Hebrews writer refers to as “things that accompany salvation.”
I call it “God’s Benefit Package”

Crowns: Place, Position & Power, Pt. 2

1 Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;