TODAY! Part Two - What Comes Every Day (If you are looking for it)

Sunday, July 31, 2022 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments




LISTEN TO PODCAST


2 Corinthians 4:16 (Amplified Bible), Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day.

KEY POINT
One of the reasons for TODAY is this: Today is when life begins again!
“Renewed day by day…”

Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah  4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

KEY POINT
There two forces await us everyday

1. Troubled Streams (Perishing)
2. Streams That Make Glad (Renewing)

Where/how you focus as your day begins determines which stream you will enter into.

WHAT COMES EVERY DAY?

1. Mercy: God’s gift before and after faith. Prevention or lessening of consequences following our errors.

Lamentations 3:22-24, Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

2. Benefits: Provision, protection, grace to function, etc.

Psalm 68:19, Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah

Matthew 6:11, Give us this day our daily bread.

3. Your Cross: Opportunity to place others higher than yourself. Carry responsibility deny yourself, follow Christ, and serve God’s purposes.

Luke 9:23, Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

Proverbs 8:34, Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors

TODAY: Reflection & Application

1. In what ways I am being renewed TODAY?
2. Why does my life begin again TODAY? (Not starting over)
3. What hinders my awareness of TODAY?
4. Who will I encourage/exhort TODAY?
5. What streams from God’s river make me glad TODAY?
6. What does MERCY mean to me TODAY?
7. What do GOD’S BENEFITS mean to me TODAY?
8. What does MY CROSS mean to me TODAY?



TODAY: Your Life Begins Again - Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute for July 27, 2022

Tuesday, July 26, 2022 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments


  

(“Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute” is a weekly encouragement. Subscribe to this blog to stay connected.) 

2 Corinthians 4:16 reads, Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

The Apostle Paul wrote that our inward person is being renewed day by day. From this Scripture comes the thought for today's Inspiration Minute:

TODAY is when life begins again! Make the most of it!

While outward and natural things are obviously changing and diminishing, your inward life in Christ is always renewing. Because this is true, try to think of every new day as an opportunity to begin life again. No, you're not starting over, but you are starting afresh.

The Amplified Bible version of 2 Corinthians 4:16 reads, Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day.

There is a progressive renewal happening inside of you every day. Look for it. Focus on it. Prioritize something good God is doing in your life. Do it now. Do it TODAY!

Listen to and watch my teaching from Sunday, July 24: "TODAY: When Life Begins Again."

God Bless and Be Encouraged!
~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.





________________

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TODAY! Part One - When Life Begins Again

Sunday, July 24, 2022 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments




LISTEN TO PODCAST


2 Corinthians 4:16 (Amplified Bible)
Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day.

“Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay.” 
 ~ Simone de Beauvoir
“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” ~ H. G. Wells
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” 
 ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“Live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. Inhabit your moments. 
Don’t rent them out to tomorrow.”  ~ Jerry Spinelli
“Today is a new day. Don't let your history interfere with your destiny!” 
 ~ Steve Maraboli

We are dealing two realities:
Outward - Perishing 
Inward - Renewing

KEY POINT
One of the reasons for TODAY is this:
Today is when life begins again!
“Renewed day by day…”


"Remember" – Reflections on Rosa Parks Exhibit | Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute for July 20, 2022

Wednesday, July 20, 2022 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments


  

(“Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute” is a weekly encouragement. Subscribe to this blog to stay connected.) 

While my wife and I vacationed in Michigan, we visited the Ford Museum in Dearborn. We happened upon an excellent Black History exhibit that included a replica of the bus on which Rosa Parks sat. Her refusal to yield her seat to a White man triggered the Montgomery bus boycott. This was one of the key moments of the Civil Rights movement that began to break down the wall of racial segregation.

Her simple, courageous act of civil disobedience, along with the efforts of many other such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, eventually led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

This was an interactive exhibit, so I was able to sit where Rosa Parks sat in the famous re-enactment photo.

This brief video shares my reflections in that moment. We thank God for our ancestors and all other courageous Americans, whether well known or "hidden figures," on whose shoulders we stand.

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Stories, Narratives, and Borrowed Media

Tuesday, July 19, 2022 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments




The STORY is the truth. The NARRATIVE (using one definition of the word) is the “spin” or “twist” people put on the actual story. So, don’t get caught up in narratives, (or worse, false narratives), seek to understand the story and be committed to OBJECTIVE truth.

Things that are objective are outside of us, and bigger than us. Things that are subjective, like opinions, are inside of us, and a reflection of how we feel. Our opinions and how we feel are important, but don’t mistake it for truth. Someone’s opinion and perception is not your reality.

Social media is mainly about narratives. There is value in social media, so long as you’re also committed to reading and researching objective and expert sources. Social media by itself perpetuates “low information” like only watching television news.

Pontificating (just saying stuff) on Facebook is easy. Writing, publishing, or posting fully developed points of view is harder, but it’s necessary if we’re going to rise above narratives.

Facebook is “borrowed media” (it belongs to Mark Zuckerberg). What we also need is “owned media,” such as your own website, blog, or publications, in order to fully express points of view, and move beyond the world of narratives and false narratives.

Social media is no substitute for connecting with people and providing fully formed insight. Social media can be a starting point, but it is far too shallow to trust as a source.

Narcissism: Awareness of Others and Self Examination

Sunday, July 17, 2022 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments



(Originally posted August 23, 2013. Updated July 17, 2022)

Philippians 2:1-30, So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Narcissism is a term that originated with Narcissus in Greek mythology who fell in love with his own image reflected in a pool of water. He was a handsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate advances of a woman named Echo. These advances eventually led Narcissus to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to consummate his love, Narcissus "lay gazing enraptured into the pool, hour after hour," and finally changed into a flower that bears his name, the narcissus.  (Narcissism: A New Theory by Neville Symington) 

The concept of excessive selfishness has been recognized throughout history. In ancient Greece the concept was understood as hubris. It is only in recent times that it has been defined in psychological terms.

Narcissism: Behind the Mask, a book by David Thomas suggests that narcissists typically display most, and sometimes all, of the following traits: 

• An obvious self-focus in interpersonal exchanges
• Problems in sustaining satisfying relationships
• Difficulty with empathy
• Problems distinguishing the self from others
• Hypersensitivity to any insults or imagined insults
• Vulnerability to shame rather than guilt
• Haughty body language
• Flattery towards people who admire and affirm them
• Detesting those who do not admire them
• Using other people without considering the cost of doing so
• Pretending to be more important than they really are
• Bragging (subtly but persistently) and exaggerating their achievements
• Claiming to be an "expert" at many things
• Inability to view the world from the perspective of other people
• Denial of remorse and gratitude 

Hotchkiss' seven deadly sins of narcissism
Sandy Hotchkiss identified what she called the seven deadly sins of narcissism:

Shamelessness: Shame is the feeling that lurks beneath all unhealthy narcissism, and the inability to process shame in healthy ways.

Magical thinking: Narcissists see themselves as perfect, using distortion and illusion known as magical thinking. They also use projection to dump shame onto others.

Arrogance: A narcissist who is feeling deflated may reinflate by diminishing, debasing, or degrading somebody else.

Envy: A narcissist may secure a sense of superiority in the face of another person's ability by using contempt to minimize the other person.

Entitlement: Narcissists hold unreasonable expectations of particularly favorable treatment and automatic compliance because they consider themselves special. Failure to comply is considered an attack on their superiority, and the perpetrator is considered an "awkward" or "difficult" person. Defiance of their will is a narcissistic injury that can trigger narcissistic rage.

Exploitation: Can take many forms but always involves the exploitation of others without regard for their feelings or interests. Often the other is in a subservient position where resistance would be difficult or even impossible. Sometimes the subservience is not so much real as assumed.

Bad boundaries: Narcissists do not recognize that they have boundaries and that others are separate and are not extensions of themselves. Others either exist to meet their needs or may as well not exist at all. Those who provide narcissistic supply to the narcissist are treated as if they are part of the narcissist and are expected to live up to those expectations. In the mind of a narcissist there is no boundary between self and other.

The Joy of Children - Don’t Hinder Them | Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute for July 6, 2022

Tuesday, July 05, 2022 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments


  

(“Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute” is a weekly encouragement. Subscribe to this blog to stay connected.) 

Over the long July 4 holiday weekend, my wife and I had two of our three grandchildren with us. We were also together with all three of our grands on a couple of occasions over the holiday weekend. The youngest granddaughter turned five months old on July 4.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

When I look at my grandchildren, I am first reminded of our four children when they were little, and of all of the trust they put in us as parents, and of all the hopes that we had for them. Each is now grown, living in his and her purpose, and doing very well.

Spending this quality time with our grandchildren made it clearer how marvelous the grace of God is, and how much their parents love them, care for them, and provide positive experiences. It was a joy to see the creativity and positive energy of our five-year-old grandson and our seven-year-old granddaughter. They love to imagine, draw and create worlds in which to express their thoughts and dreams.

We created a couple of videos in my home studio on green screen, in which my granddaughter scripted and shared her knowledge of animals and nature. She and her brother worked together, haggled a little bit, and made two fun videos talking about the attributes of elephants, zebras, cheetahs, and lions. It was actually informative.

When a child's mind and heart is nourished and is open to Christ, they express the freedom and creativity of their Creator. This is one of the reasons why Jesus said "do not hinder them." Children represent the kingdom of God which is the source of hope, creativity, and life at its best.

However you interact with children, as parents, grandparents, educators, or others, let us all be very intentional on providing the kind of life and environment in which children learn to love the Lord, become full of hope, eager to learn, and their God-given creativity and uniqueness.

God Bless and Be Encouraged!
~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.
________________

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Happy July 4th, Independence Day In the USA! | A Promise Made ~ 189 Years to Promise Kept

Monday, July 04, 2022 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

 

The "promissory note" of independence, freedom, and equality for many in our nation TOOK A LONG TIME to come - 189 years:

July 4, 1776 - Declaration of Independence 
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

June 21, 1788 - U.S. Constitution Ratification
The Preamble: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

July 5, 1852 - Frederick Douglass speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" - Slavery still part of the USA 64 years after Constitution Ratification (Douglass speech commentary)

September 22, 1862 - Emancipation Proclamation - 87 Years after 1776. 
Executive order to free the enslaved people of the USA. In force on January 1, 1893. 

June 19, 1865 - The first "Juneteenth" 
President Lincoln's General Order No. 3 reaches the furthest slave state, Texas. Delivered by Union Army general Gordon Granger (many slave holding states did not inform enslaved people of the order)

13th Amendment - Ratified on December 6, 1865. 
Officially Abolished slavery in the United States

14th Amendment - Ratified July 9, 1868. 
Extended liberties and rights granted by the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people. Persons born in the USA are citizens

July 2, 1964 - The Civil Rights Act of 1964. 
Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

August 6, 1965 - The Voting Rights Act of 1965. 
Prohibits racial discrimination in voting. (voting rights presently being curtailed in some states by voting suppression laws)

189 YEARS AFTER Independence Day in 1776

Learn more: https://www.biblicaljusticebook.com/about
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