In the Bleak Mid-Winter = Great Song

Thankfuly Let God Rule

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

There is a song that most people who go to church have heard called "count your blessings" or "count your many blessings" and is says to name them one by one. This verse of scripture speaks of being thankful and letting the peace of God rule in your heart. These are not suggestions or just good things to live by but they are things that God expects of us. It also just happens (smile) that these two things are very hard to do sometimes (smile).

I think of the blind man in the Gospel of John in chapter nine who God expected this from too. When this enters one mind it makes me ashamed of the times in my life when I was unthankful and did not let the peace of God rule in my heart. Some things you pray for and pray for and when God answers your prayer you second guess your own prayer (smile). Things are hard for our human nature to swallow sometimes. Yet we still must remember that God is on the throne and we are His vessel to use as He sees fit. Whatever Gods will is we really have only good option and that is to go on accepting it. Amen, So be it.

Thankfulness. Woooow. Now there is a heavy hitter on the old nature. Satan never wants us to be thankful for what we have and makes great strives to throw the road blocks our way. It has more to do with our flesh though. It is so easy to be envious of others and what they have forgetting the very things that God has blessed us with. Some men have only daughters and are envious of those men who have sons and yet the same man that has sons may very well be envious of the man who has daughters and they are both envious of the man who has both and the man who has both sometimes wishes he had less children because of expenses (even though he would never trade any of his children) and the guy with less is envious of the guy with more and so on the circle goes.

Some people are arrogant and flaunt what they have on purpose and some people just have a chip on their shoulder and are offended any time some one is happy in public about how God has blessed them and instead of rejoicing with them just go home and mope and feel sorry for themselves. It is a vicious subject for sure. I for one hope I have never rubbed something in anyone persons face and yet being one who has been without and have rejoiced with others when God had blessed them hope that others also would rejoice with me when God has blessed in this direction.

Name them one by one:

*God has blessed me with a job a great job when many do not have one and not only do I have a job but it pays well and I work with some great people.

*God has blessed me with the most wonderful wife in the world.

*God has blessed me with the two most wonderful sons in the world and I am very proud of them both and am exited for them both on their pursuits of a career in the Marine Corps and the Navy. Some preachers have shown their disdain for this but that’s OK they can (smile) jump off a cliff. They will get over it.

*God has blessed me with some wonderful friends.

*I have a couple hobbies and God has blessed me there as well.

* God has blessed me with fulfilling careers my favorite things are Preaching, aircraft, and the Military and I have been able to work with all of those and once again am able to wear the uniform of the United States Air Force. I am not a special Ops commando and some would call working with cargo inglorious however after being in my squadron a short time I have zero regrets they seem like a great squads to work with and not every Wing Commander will let an E-4 (me) come in and sit next to him at lunch. LOL

*God has blessed me in my pursuit of weight loss and health.

God has been very good to me and I praise Him for it.

Thank You Lord!

　

　

Matthew D Brasel

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