The Healing Of Sarah
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Sarah was Abrahams wife and was born on a timeline halfway between Adam and Jesus Christ. She had been incapable of having children and was 90 years old when God healed her. She still had to wait another 25 years after being specifically told she would be healed. To make matters more challenging, not only was she barren, but she had entered menopause... two major impossibilities at a natural level. Like all of us, she had to address the needs of the here and now, but at the same time was facing two seemingly impossible promises. This is how her story unfolds and how her ongoing faith gave them one of the most amazing testimonies in history.
Why Do The Heathen Rage?
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
The natural position of 'non or anti-Christians' is to rage against God's laws and principles, despite them giving humanity the best opportunities for a fair and sustainable life. The more they rage, the worse life becomes for the free world, with one failure leading to another. Sadly, yet predictably; the human race never learns from its mistakes. Pride and ignorance always lead to the failures that past generations also suffered.
Give God Something to Work With
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Give God something to work with and he will give you something to work with. Everyone can have a wonderful life with the Lord if they stop long enough to give him something to work with. Moses is perhaps one of the greatest examples of God's ability to turn an average person into a remarkable powerhouse. The turning point came when Moses saw a burning bush and stopped to hear the message (just like us when we were witnessed to)... EXO 3:2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses (name meaning... 'drawn out of water'... is about to be drawn out of fire) said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. God had something to work with... he began his 40 year service. Moses lived 120 years (revealed the Old Testament), 120 at Pentecost, 'Dunamis' 120 times in the New Testament.
Believe the Science
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
We are continually pressured to 'believe the science', even though many scientists disagree with each other. Quite often, the term 'science' is used when a political or religious outcome is desired. It would be more convincing to see the evidence than respond to an appeal to authority, which is a false and unproven argument.
When You Are Feeling Alone
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Loneliness (doubt, fear), is a perception we can all feel when our confidence drops below our spiritual reality. God has already offered a solution to this well known problem. HEB 13:5 Let your conversation (lifestyle) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. This promise assures us that we can never be alone, regardless of our thinking. Jesus added another aspect which covers the same problem... JOH 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter,that he may abide with you for ever; The following examples reveal God's merciful nature across many examples of negativity that have been experienced by those who were called to serve him.
Raising The Dead
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
God has identified himself as much more than the powerful creator of the universe and the life in it. He has expressed an attitude towards the human race, that is common to humans themselves. He demonstrates love and care, concern and assistance; like any caring father or mother would do. His interest and regard for us is much more than that of any parent, because his capacity is far greater than ours. We cannot care for ourselves with the same certainty and authority that God offers. If the worst comes to the worst, God is capable of raising the dead. That is something we cannot do for our families. Yet, God now offers us the power to raise the dead.
When The Wheels Fall Off
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
'When the wheels fall off' originated from overloading, or abusing a work vehicle to the extent that it breaks down and is no longer useable. The west was built on the principles contained within the ten commandments, despite the weaknesses of humanity (a certain level of weakness and failure was already factored in to the system). However, as they have been further weakened, we have been overloaded and failures are appearing everywhere. It's the abuses of the principles that leads to failure, not the principles themselves. The bible reveals many of humanities worst failures thousands of years before they have finally come about.
A History of Isolation and Opportunity
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
The Bible contains many stories of people who needed to go into lockdown to escape a variety of threats coming upon the earth. On all of these occasions, preparations and warnings were made to all people; offering everyone a way of escape. There was always a great need for God's people to listen carefully to his survival guidelines. Some obvious examples were Noah and the ark, the Passover when the tenth plague destroyed the first born, also the modern spirit filled church is a vessel of separation for escaping spiritual death.
Pharoah Challengs the Word of God
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
ife everlasting for Egypt's pharaohs (god-kings) was the sustaining principle of Egyptian civilisation. In an ancient religious text, a deceased king asks of the creator-god, "O Atum, what is my duration of life?" And the deity replies, "Though art destined for millions and millions of years, a lifetime of millions."To supply their necessities for a lifetime of millions, the kings designed tombs and mortuary temples that would last forever. A common understanding for tomb in fact meant "house of eternity." The people of Egypt willingly laboured to build these monuments for their dead rulers, believing that, as gods, the pharaoh had to be properly provided for and favoured.
The Church Is What You Make It
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Once we receive the Holy Spirit, everything changes. We are now part of God's kingdom and everyone has a spiritual responsibility. We all have a job to do which requires a completely different mindset than what we started with. The first question is... what does God want me to do; not how do I fit God into my list of priorities. Every person who makes up the spirit filled church is fully equipped to build it up and make it work better. 1COR 6:19 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? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Our duty is to teach and encourage people to make Godly choices.