This guy can preach. A friend of mine that I new in England posted some Mr Washers videos which is how I was introduced to them.

Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

One of the most truthful lessons my father taught me when I was a boy was one of the saddest days that I ever saw him. He came home and was shattered. His best friend that he had ever had passed away unexpectedly. This man and my father did every thing together and if one of them was in a jam no matter how bad the other was there and a few times it was even at the risk of life. They could not have been more different in some areas but some how formed that bond. Jim was a black belt and Vietnam vet, Dad was tough and wrestled a lot in high school but had never been to war, Jim was a wild man with the ladies and Dad was always faithful to my Mom. They were best of friends though.

They both proved their friendship one to another and watched each others back. Dad told me that if I ever found one friend that was like Jim that I was a lucky man and probably would never find one and for sure not more than five. Jeff Cooper touched on this some in his book to ride shoot straight and speak the truth. A bunch of Germans were captured and had more than enough men to over power the guards but they were unarmed. Out of thousands of men only a hand full were actually willing to try it. Some times P.O.W.s would turn on each other and stab each other in the back. His pont was that some men like to talk about making a stand and think about taking a stand but real men actually take the stand.

Friendships are very important to the believer for multiple reasons. In reality we are the minority not the majority and we need to keep each other sharp. Unfortunately many believers to day including preachers are no better than congress when it comes to playing games and political networking.

If you have a friend that is true make sure you stand by them and if you are blessed someday they will stand by you.



Matthew D Brasel

Purpose Driven Apostasy

Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=481280

Marriage is one of the most wonderful and sacred things that God has ever instituted. It is also very clear from the Bible that God instituted marriage for a man and a woman. It is very clear in the way God created to reproduce. Even the animals understand this although humans cannot seem to get a grasp on it these days.
God saw that Adam needed a help meet and so God made him one and Eve was "her" name. The Word of God is very clear about this. Nowhere has God ever sanctioned the marriage union between two men or two women.
It does not surprise me that the humanists and atheists are fighting to establish sodomite marriage as morally ethical. It does surprise me that an evangelical leader would apologize for standing on God’s Word and what it says. It does not surprise me though which evangelical leader would have the shameless audacity to do it. We have moved from purpose driven compromise to purpose driven apostasy.
The funny thing is that if the government ceased to recognize me and my wife Sherri as being married for almost 19 years we would not feel any less married than what we are. Those that know they are wrong though want every one to bow to "embrace" not "tolerate" their way of life. God however, will never recognize such a union whether the civil government does or not. As a Pastor I will never recognize a same sex union and legitimate it.
Contrary to P.C. popular belief however Sodomite unions are "tolerated" even though they are not recognized. I see noone getting arrested for it or saying it is a hate crime against traditional marriage and it has gone on for years in apostate churches. So yes, I tolerate their view however the ‘God haters’ are "intolerant" of anyone that does not hold their view on the issue. They are so "intolerant" of an opposing view that they beat up old women over it. Even though they talk about how "intolerance" is the greatest evil on Earth they hypocritically only mean those who disagree with them are wrong.
I suppose the bleeding heart would call me a hate monger for believing the homosexual lifestyle is immoral and sinful however, that view as already stated is a hypocritical and intolerant one. Saying you believe that a homosexual union is sinful is no different than preaching against shacking up, premarital sex, or drunkenness. That does not mean I hate everyone that is shaking up or that I hate all drunkards. If you believe that someone does hate everyone who they morally disagree with, I guess that would only show the fact that "you" must hate everyone that you disagree with.
We have an addictions meeting every Friday night because we love those people who are chained to their addictions and we hope to see them set free from the bondage of sin. We do not recognize drunkenness, drugs, pornography, or sodomy as morally righteous but we do love those people and have seen enough lives destroyed by immorality and do not desire to see any more.
I do have to say that Rick Warren should be ashamed of himself and confess his sin and compromise of God’s Word, to God, his local Church, and his country. This is one good example of how compromise leads you down a slippery slope. Unfortunately, I think I can see the writing on the wall for some evangelical leaders to jump on an "intolerant" hate crimes law, which is not a hate crime law but a destruction of the freedom of speech.
Is this post a bit to the point? Yes

Titus 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

Does every rebuke need to be sharp? No, and not everyone should be, but some of them have to be.

Pastor Matthew D. Brasel

Socialists, Education, and Child Training

Luke 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

Not long ago I read an article that stated that Faith and the Bible played very minor roles in some parents who were interviewed (they were even of an evangelical background). Then several days ago I see another article that STDs are growing in America's youth. As a person who grew up in the public school system it is not shocking for me to read or hear about this. It does make one ask themselves some questions though.

If the socialist sex education courses are so great and more kids are more sexually aware than ever, then the philosophy spewing from the liberally minded educators should be proving itself true and STDs among our youth should be shrinking. Instead they are growing. Sexual education in public schools is a failure and always will be. It promotes promiscuity and teaches them how to do what they should not be doing in the first place, which is sex outside of marriage.

Liberals have no problem trying to shame anything else such as gun ownership, spanking, prayer, smoking (which is wrong) and any thing that does not fit in their agenda but they only glorify single parent homes, pornography, and promiscuity. Sin should never be made easy for our youth, much less having classes that teach them how to do it.

We teach abstinence of tobacco, abstinence of unnecessary violence, abstinence of narcotics and every thing else under the sun, so why not abstinence of premarital sex. We do not teach our kids how to freebase and then say that since they are aware they are now safe. We do not demonstrate how to shoot up or smoke crack either. You can say about all these things, "Oh they will do it anyway so let's show them." But it still would not make sense to show them nor do we. I wish the so called "certified" educators that teach Americas fine young people this stuff would screw their heads on straight.

The word of God does give us what we need to know to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition to the Lord. It is too bad that more "church going parents" are not willing to trust the Word of God over magazines or talk radio hosts.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Believe it or not.

Pastor Matthew D Brasel

Enjoying our Christianity Part Three

Who Is Happy?

Those who are Saved- Psalm 144:15 "Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.", 146:5 "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:"

It is difficult to enjoy something that you do not posses. Just because someone goes to a church or even goes to a good church does not men that they will be happy or experience the joy that only salvation can bring. After all we are not talking about and have not been talking about enjoying "church" which is part of enjoying your Christianity and you will not have true joy forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. However church is only part of it. Enjoying your Christianity is enjoying your salvation and life of service for Christ. Many simply sit in a pew and have never known Christ or experienced His free gift of salvation which opens the windows of Heaven to you and brings you into the family of God. "Know Jesus Know Life - No Jesus No Life"

Those who have Wisdom and Understanding- Proverbs 3:13-18 "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her."

I think Matthew Henry explains this well.
" We must get it. He is the happy man who, having found it, makes it his own, gets both an interest in it and the possession of it, who draws out understanding (so the word it), that is,
(1.) Who derives it from God. Having it not in himself, he draws it with the bucket of prayer from the fountain of all wisdom, who gives liberally.
(2.) Who takes pains for it, as he does who draws ore out of the mine. It if do not come easily, we must put the more strength to draw it.
(3.) Who improves in it, who, having some understanding, draws it out by growing in knowledge and making five talents ten.
(4.) Who does good with it, who draws out from the stock he has, as wine from the vessel, and communicates to others, for their instruction, things new and old. That is well got, and to good purpose, that is thus used to good purpose." Matthew Henry

Many a young man or young woman has ruined a large portion of the happiness they could have due to the lack of wisdom they have or exercise. Life in the fast lane is fast and sin is pleasurable for a season but that lane closes soon and that season ends fast. When a person lives with out wisdom they live without happiness as well. Is that young man really the young man you need in your life? Is that young tramp really the young woman you want to marry? Is that "Item" worth the money and do you even have the money to get that item.

Those who Trust God- Proverbs 16:20 "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he."

Do you find yourselves living in fear or anxiety over things that are beyond your control or things you have done your utmost best in? Believer there is no need for that and you are taking on a task that does not even belong to you. That tasks belongs to your Father in Heaven that owns the cattle on a thousand hills. Many times the Lord has to break us so that we are in a place where we have to trust Him in order for us to learn this principle and often, my self included, we have to learn this principle more than once. When we learn to trust God and give Him our worry and fears true joy and happiness ensue.

Those who Fears God- Proverbs 28:14 "Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief."

My father wisely taught me to fear certain things as far as having a healthy respect for the harm those things could bring me. It is good for the child to fear playing in the traffic or to fear poison and power tools and I wish more teenagers had more respect for driving which is much more dangerous than the firearms the liberals hate. It is good also for the believer to fear the Lord because it will keep us out of trouble at times when even our better judgment is marred by lust and temptation. The fear of the Lord is not the same fear a totalitarian socialist government laden with Marxism brings but it is liberating, refreshing, and healthy.

Those who Obey God’s Word- Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

Many people come to church or come to get counsel and they want to know how to have God’s blessing in their life and how to trust in the Lord so that they may live free of fear and addiction. Well the very first place to start is by obeying Gods Word. How can we ask God to bless our disrespect and disobedience to His Word or how can we ask Him to bless our unfaithfulness and forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.

Enjoy: To live in happiness; to possess with satisfaction, to take pleasure or delight in the possession of. To feel or perceive with pleasure.

Pastor Matthew Brasel

Self-Discipline (five good moral attributes)

A report on the five good moral attributes in the book, The Disciplined Life.

I would like to start with explaining what each attribute means and how it is important in and of themselves, and then go on to explain how they work and corroborate as a whole and how that if you really were a disciplined person, you would actually have all five of them in your life.

Neatness: First I will start with neatness. Neatness could be said to be exact cleanness or purity. I believe that neatness can be incorporated into your life mentally and physically. In the physical aspect of things, you should not be a slob or have your possessions neglected and in disarray. A disciplined person will always have his life and his things in a state where they are usable and easy to find. It is the lazy person who dose not care about how he looks or how well he can do his job or find his things just because he will not organize his things and keep them neat. But I am not just talking about your physical life here. Like I said before, I believe that you should also keep your mental life in neatness. You should be able to think clearly without being easily distracted enough to be able to do your job. Now I know that some people are more able than others to keep their mind focused, but all people should be able, to a certain degree, to stay focused on the job at hand until it is done or until you are not able to do it anymore. This is important in any job that you go into or any academic thing that you try to accomplish. The ability to keep your appearance and your mind neat and orderly is always going to help you tremendously.

Thoughtfulness: Next we can turn our attentions to thoughtfulness. We could say that thoughtful means to be attentive or to be careful or to be full of thought. It is always good to be aware of what is going on around you.
Many times, people really mess up their lives just because they were not careful. I have done reports before, and lost points that made me fail the assignment, just because I was not careful enough and did not look over the grammar and spelling of the report. Attentiveness is also very important in the persons daily life with other people. If you are not attentive, you may very well loose a good friend or make other people around you angry with you just because you were not being aware of your surroundings and offended them.

Systimatic: Next, I am going to talk about the importance of being systematic. Acting systematically means that you have order to what you do and that you do everything that you do in a certain system. I believe that this important to us Christians especially because God says that he is not the author of confusion. If there is an order to how you do things, than you will not have confusion reigning. In early America, the colonists were so afraid of a strong federal or central government, that they hampered it so much that it could not even run. Now the reason that it did not run was not because of the system that they had created, but because it relied to much on the human nature to do the right thing and keep their word. The people did not keep their word and so the system failed because they were not systematic and did not keep to the system that they had created. So we can see where being chaotic can bring us.

Thrifty: Next we will turn our attentions to being thrifty. Frugal means that you are being a good steward with what God has given you, that you are not wasting what you have. This aspect is a very important issue in a persons life, if not the most important aspect of all five of these things. If you are frugal and can do a lot with the little that you have, and you do this when you have a lot of money (or just substance), than you will do a lot better than a lot of people when you have to downsize from what you have now, or you will just be able save your money because you don’t have to spend all that you have in your possession. In the great depression people had learned how to do without, and make do with what they had. If we could learn how to do this today, than we would be a lot better off in our economy than what we are. But because people cannot learn to be content with what they have, they have wasted all that they have and are now in a lot of financial debt.

Punctuality: And lastly we turn our attentions to the last attribute, punctuality. If thriftiness is the most important attribute, than this has got to be the attribut that makes other people happy the most if you practice it. This word means that you are on time for everything. Have you ever been anywhere and you were expecting someone, and they were really late or they just did not show up? I have, and lets just say that it’s not the most pleasant thing to do with your life. Being late affects everyone around you. It really irritates the people that you are trying to meet with, and most of the time (if you are the one who is late even if you are not the one to make yourselves late) you feel like dirt because of what you have just done. The disciplined person will not let this happen and he will make sure that hie is on time for everything.
Now I would like to conclude by saying that it is a good thing to have one or many of these attributes, but the mark of the truly disciplined person is to have all five of these things incorporate into your life. And thus ends this report on the five disciplined aspects, neatness, thoughtfulness, systematizing, thriftiness, and punctuality.

Mike Brasel : Age 15

The five character traits.

Neatness: Neatness is a valuable trait to the disciplined person because when someone is sloppy and leaves their stuff just laying around, they become disorganized and their job efficiency goes down. Your personal neatness is one of the first things that your employers will look at during an interview and is especially crucial if you work around food.

Thoughtfulness: Thoughtfulness, or being thoughtful, is also an important trait because this is what, "loving thy neighbor as thyself," is. If being thoughtful is what the law and the prophets hang on, then it is definitely something to be considered. This possibly the most important character trait. It also isn’t a good idea to blindly rush through your jobs or anything else because when you are in a hurry you are more apt to make mistakes.

Systematic: Being systematic is putting what you do into a system and thinking things through to form a strategy before you start a task. This ties into the other two because not only does it help with being neater in that everything has its assigned place, your thoughts take a more organized path and are easy to follow and to trace back to their origin in times of chaos, hurry, or disorder.

Thrifty: Being thrifty is also good because it saves resources that can be put into other projects. It was once said that, "Our power grows through its prudent use." When you are thrifty, what you have will grow because what you save accumulates and makes the stockpile bigger. Being thrifty makes you appreciate even more the times that you have a lot because you know the full potential of what you have. It must be realized that being thrifty is more than being a penny pincher or a nickle nose, it applies to everything you have. Being thrifty includes things like time, strength, men under your command, and all other things expendable.

Punctuality: The last of the five is punctuality. This means being on time. It includes not only things like being at a certain location on time, but also getting a job done on time or staying in accordance with a schedule when a task is to be completed. This is important because you aren’t gaining anyone’s favor when you show up fifteen minutes late to a meeting or when a homework assignment is turned in late. This also has to do with being thoughtful.

Dalton Brasel : Age 17

Self-Discipline (The Body)

1Corinthians 9:24-27
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

If you do not have the book "The Disciplined life" by Richard S. Taylor I highly suggest you get a copy and read it through at least twice and take some notes for your self the second time. We have been using this for material in our teen class and have been having a great time with it. One thing teens and adults could use today is some self-imposed discipline. You do not find much of it in "Modern Christianity" today and in fact in many places it is looked down upon and spoken against.

In this passage Paul speaks of bringing his body into subjection so that he would not be just another castaway. When Paul mentions the term "castaway" he is referring to "failing shamefully of the prize myself, after I have called others to the contest." JFB. How sad it is to see those who have ministered to others fall into sin and have a ruined testimony because they had no self-discipline which God can use in your life and can give you.

Paul is speaking of bringing his body into subjection in this passage so that is what we will look at in several areas for this post. There are certain areas which stand out the most in our churches and society today. The ones that stick out the most to me are Sex, Appetite, Sleep, Fitness, and Work.

Sex: DO NOT PANIC! We are not going into detail here.
1Corinthians 6:18-20
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Of course today there is little-to-none self discipline in this area and that is among the single crowd and the married crowed. Marriages are destroyed and many before they even start because of this. Preachers disqualify themselves from the ministry due to this and young people ruin their lives and even murder over this. It is very important that we control what kind of media we listen to, watch, and read. Exercise can also help with this however, being in the Word of God and prayer as well as faithfully serving God and being where we need to be when we need to be there as King David found out the hard way. If you were blessed when you were young, you had some parents that said, "NO" and meant it and did not let you have your way all the time. If you have never been told no and always get your way, if you are smart you will start disciplining yourself in other areas of your life as soon as possible which will help a great deal when it comes to controlling your body in this area which is any sex out side of marriage.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
1Corinthians 7:1-5
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

Not only do some believers have a hard time bringing their bodies into subjection when they should not have sex but some can not bring their bodies into subjection when they should. I could not believe my eyes when I read a report that most men over 30 prefer to work out in their yard rather than be romantic with their wife. Some men have a hard time leading their home in this area and the reason I mention it is because marriages are ruined this way too. Men who show no leadership and women, for whatever dumb, prudish reason, deny their husband what the Bible says is his and hence one is tempted because of incontinency and a divorce or at minimum a lot of pain and sadness. So, before one starts throwing blame around they need to take a look in the mirror. Adultery is always wrong and those who commit it are always wrong and so are those that help it out.

Sleep - Pulling back those warm covers and lifting your head off that soft pillow.
Proverbs 6:9-11
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Yes, we need a certain amount of sleep and it is not healthy if we do not get it however, laying in bed because we are lazy is a sin and I am not talking about an occasional day off or the like. Those who spend most of their time sleeping are wasting good opportunities to get something profitable done and are just contributing to their self-discipline problem of letting the flesh run your life and becoming soft and weak. Sleep is sweet to those who work and should be enjoyed but when it is time to get up you need to get out of bed. Start getting up a little earlier each day until you get no more than eight hours. Most studies that are recent that I have read show that six hours gives you rest and does not shorten your life span as some would suggest. I would get at least five though. Normally I will get five to six.

Work - Pull your pants up, put a shirt on and get a job.
Proverbs 10:5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
Proverbs 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

I remember the day when a young man that my Dad was allowing to live and eat at our house for free told him that his hands were too good to flip burgers because he was an artist. The young man left for a while and when he came back my Dad literally had set his clothes in bags out on the porch and told him to hit the road. My Dad's rule when I grew up was that if you lived in his house, you worked, or went to school full time. This is the same rule in my own house today. I was in a store recently that was closing and I could tell the clerks were rather bothered by the idea because they were losing their jobs. My heart breaks for those kinds of people who want to work and are willing to work but cannot. Once I saw a man with a sign that said "will work for food" while he was standing next to a business that had a help wanted sign. When I asked him why he did not apply he said he was too good to work there. Learning how to work hard and smart is a skill that is built over time and should be started when you are a child so you are ready when the time comes that you have to. Chores should be looked at as on the job training, not punishment.

Fitness - If it is not built in it needs to be worked in.
1Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

The Bible does not say that bodily exercise does not profit and is not a good thing to practice. Last year the Lord showed me a few things about this and after a series of events that my 220lb fat boy body needed to be in shape and a bit healthier. I was teaching in an Addictions Ministry that teaches self restraint and I was very unhealthy and overweight. At 36 I had no idea where I was going with a workout program and had already been going to a gym for some time. Less than a year later I am about 55lbs lighter and can run eight miles and when I started I could not run a city block. Now I am not saying you need to make fitness you hobby or go overboard however, you should have some kind of program to get in or stay in shape so you can take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit and stay sharp while serving Him for years to come.

Appetite - A good area to begin some self discipline.
1Peter 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
Duet 21:20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

As I said when we began our Addictions Ministry and have always preached against smoking and drinking I was convicted of how I was taking care of my own body. The last thing I wanted to be was a huge fat guy telling people that smoked that they were not taking care of God's temple so they needed to stop. I am not advocating fad diets either or living off of carrots. We should however watch our food intake and what we eat and when. So just remember to ask yourself the next time you tell someone to stop destroying the temple of the Holy Spirit with tobacco what are you putting in your mouth and in what amounts.

Pastor Matthew Brasel