Text Messages

Our hope and prayer is that today that you have enjoyed the Lord this week and have allowed Him to fill you up with everything that He desires you to have.  Let’s talk about that…

The Psalmist in chapter 81 relates a bit of historical perspective on the children of Israel and their deliverance from the bondage of their Egyptian taskmasters.  Tucked away in verse 10 is an absolutely incredible statement from God Almighty.  They had been empty of hope for hundreds of years.  Dreams were futile because all they had prospects of doing were making bricks and feeling the despair of slavery.  BUT GOD brought them out by His powerful hand and the demonstration of His might.  So, in verse 10 He says, “I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.”  How does that statement align with our view of the Father?

Now, let us put that statement in perspective with our Americanized version of Christianity.  He is NOT telling us to pray for selfish stuff.  In the whole context of scripture, a person who is seeking God, serving God, seeing (recognizing and acknowledging) God move and work, and searching the scripture for daily instruction is a person who gets from God what God knows what that person needs and they recognize it as such.  When we want what God wants we appreciate what He gives.

It is like the person who finally makes the decision to become healthy in their physical being.  Wow, I cannot believe how bad I felt when I ate all that junk and laid around sedentary.  Now I love foods I would have never eaten (i.e. humus) and I am filled and satisfied.  I have more energy than ever and I sleep so much better, etc.  God tells us, if you allow me to guide your appetite I will fill you.  If you love what I love and hate what I hate I will fill you.  If you will believe what I have said I will fill you.  If you will trust my guidance when you do not understand I will fill your way.  If you will take the medicine I give to heal you inside out I will fill you with spiritual health.  If you will empty yourself of self I will fill you.  If you ask for what my Spirit urges you to ask for I will fill you.  OPEN WIDE!  Sounds perfect, unless we tighten our lips and turn our head…  OR, if we only open our mouths wide enough for God to give us a baby dropper of provision or blessing.

Let us not have a baby guppy mouth when it comes to what God wants us to have.  Lets have a lunker bass open mouth.  It is about asking in His will, expecting He will, and appreciating when He fills.  Open Wide.

God Bless You!

BroAdamB

 

It is driven into our American DNA to push and pursue gain of all sorts.  To lose is unacceptable.  Let’s talk about that…

Cut to the chase…  When Christ calls us unto Himself, that invitation requires that we understand that there are some things that we must cease from in order to serve Him with a clean heart.  Sinful things, fleshly or carnal things we can understand repenting of, but ceasing from successful pursuits are uncommon to our thinking.  In Matthew 10:38-39 Jesus tells us that if we relinquish our ‘rights’ to follow His pathway we will find that the rewards in the end will be far greater and eternal rather than temporary.  Again in chapter 16 verses 24-27 Jesus reiterates this point.

My question today is, what are we afraid to lose?  I do believe that what we fear to lose has an impact on our degree of dedication to the Lord.  What prevents us from living this life fully saturated in the purpose of the Lord.  Chapter 10 points to our pursuit of profit.  What will it cost us?  Family relationships, friendships, finances, or popularity, profit, or pursuit of a dream?

I would encourage you to find the story of William Borden (no relation), who was heir to the Borden milk empire.  He was a millionaire who walked away from taking over the family business to follow the calling of God to be a missionary to the Muslim Kansu people of China.  Over the course of his journey to go to the missionary fields he faced the ridicule of friends which led him to write these words in his Bible, “No Reserves”.  In William’s journal he wrote, “Say ‘no’ to self and ‘yes’ to Jesus every time.”  At graduation time he turned down numerous lucrative job offers, all of which he turned down, writing in his Bible, “No Retreats”.  After graduating from Yale and Princeton, William headed to Egypt to study Arabic, but in the process of that journey he contracted spinal meningitis and died at the age of 25 before ever reaching his mission field.  When his personal items reached home they found two more words written in his Bible, “No Regrets”.

Some would say, what a waste.  But I say, what eternal gain.  After all, we are all recounting just a part of his powerful testimony today.  If he had just taken over the family business and piled up more money we would have never heard of William Borden but because he lost his life for the cause of Christ, we have gained an inspiring testimony that mirrors the heart of Christ.

What, or who, are you afraid to lose?  What might you miss out on gaining in eternity to hold onto for a little while down here (Mt 6:24-33).

God Bless You!

BroAdamB

There is a common business proverb that seems to be contradictory but in fact is very accurate; “Addition by Subtraction.”  Let’s talk about that…

Minimalism tells us to relieve ourselves of the ‘unnecessary’ in order to make room for what could be more productive, enjoyable, or necessary.  This applies to living space, work, people and food.  When I was diagnosed with diabetes almost 3 months ago I made an immediate and decisive decision that I had to cut out certain foods that were leading me to a massive stroke or heart attack, according to my doctor.  Since that time I have found other foods that satisfy my hunger, keep me healthy and help me feel less weighted down in exhaustion and just blahhh.  It has lightened the load from my body and increased my energy.  I had to cut it out if I wanted to increase my life in all those ways.  Addition by Subtraction.

Matthew chapters 5 through 7 has been my spiritual stomping grounds lately.  I am studying it and God is stomping my toes.  Chapter 5 verses 27 through 30 deal with the common issues of physical immorality and the battle of our mind.  Verses 29 and 30 give us a very jarring command if our eyes and hands are uncontrollably bent on sin.  Jesus says pluck out our right eye or cut off our right hand if they offend us, or bring about sinful offence in our life.  Now, let’s be honest, we would be a lot of stumps rolling around if we physically cut off every part of us that had part of sinful struggle in our life.  But, let’s put this is spiritual scriptural context.

I John 2:15-17 says “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (KJB).  So, when Jesus specified our eyes, our hands (flesh), and our pride (mind), He was pinpointing our primary lustful members.   What are you trying to say, preacher?  I am saying we need to cut some things out so we can have ‘life more abundantly.’  Alcoholics do not quit drinking by only drinking every other day.  Smokers do not quit smoking by only smoking at night.  Addicts of all kinds must cut out the vise that is clogging up their life.

I am not going to give you any specific suggestions on what you should cut out of your life.  I will suggest that you ask and allow the Holy Ghost to point out those things you need to cut out.  Think about what comes into your life through your eyes, ears, mouth, and hands.  What is spiritually unnecessary?  What is physically hindering?  What is sucking the priceless irreplaceable time out of your daily life?  What sin is separating your fellowship with the Father from being all it could be?  Allow Him to help you cut them out and replace them with something that will lighten your load and increase your life.  Addition by Subtraction which allows beneficial Addition.

We Love You,

BroAdamB

I have a secret that I want to tell you about…

As I spent time hiding the Word in my heart this week I read in Matthew chapter 6.  Jesus is exposing the hypocritical Pharisee’s for their priority of outward appearances while harboring corrupt inner motives.  In the first 4 verses Jesus deals with their charitable practices.  They used the ‘good thing’ of giving to others to make a big to-do complete with a trumpeted announcement that they were about to be charitable.  Can you just hear it, Everyone get your cameras out and get ready to post a pic of these giants of God give a sandwich and a quarter to a hungry beggar all while wearing their new ‘I’m Humble’ gold lettered hoodies you can buy at the temple gift shop. Ah yes, that is how it would have been if it were today.  This is very tounge in cheek but apparently it is pretty accurate to what was going on.  They made it no secret what they were up to.

Jesus then turns to prayer.  Evidently, the ‘hypocrites’ were just as flamboyant about their prayer.  The Lord is very clear, there is no reward when the only time we pray is when someone else can hear it.  The Secret is in the secret place.  The Lord gave us several examples of his private prayer time.  He would often slip away and get alone with the Father in prayer.  He instructs us in verse 6 to enter into our closet.  There is usually only enough room for one and that room would be close to the floor.  Then, He tells us to shut the door.  There are things that He intends to be just between Him and the individual.  People used to keep private diaries or journals that they kept under lock and key.  Nowadays every fleeting thought we have ends up on facebook for the world to see.

My secret is this, I’ve got some big things that I am believing God for… and they are none of your business!  The most important things He talks to me about are just between us.  God has promised that if we will come to Him in our secret place, He will reward our trust and confidence in Him with a public reward.  He is not impressed with our personal marketing, social acceptance or network.  The Lord can do more than our social media kingdom of “friends” will ever be able to by liking and sharing.   What is your secret to getting things done?  Jesus told us that the Secret is in our Secret place with Him.

God Bless You,

BroAdamB

615-785-5682 / broadamb@gmail.com / Adam N Angel on facebook

Happy Mother’s Day!  If your mama is still with us our prayer is that you will get to connect with her in some way today and let her know how much she has meant to your life.  I know that I owe an unpayable debt to Debra Borden.  Let’s talk about a mother in the Bible for a minute…

In I Samuel chapter 4, the prophet of God Elisha had been given the gift of a prophets chamber by someone the Bible calls “a great woman” from Shunem.  She had been burdened and had convinced her husband to build a room onto their home for Elisha to stay when he came to their area. Great sacrifice. She had no children, but the preacher told her something unbelievable.  In verse 16 she was told that she would soon “embrace a son” of her own.  She did not want to trifled with or given a word that would not be kept but in verse 17 it came to pass.  What a Great blessing.  Through her faithful life and careful consideration of the man of God, the Lord gave her what she longed for most.  Great desire.

Then, when the baby grew up to a strong lad, he fell one day in work with a pain in his head and died suddenly.  That precious gift was taken away.  Her first reaction was to lay the child “on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him,” and went to go find Elisha.  What thoughts, what heartache, what despair must have torn through her heart.  Great tragedy.  The disappointment of having no child was in no way as tragic of having one taken away at a young age.  She had not been a bad mother.  No doubt she raised that boy in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  As she began her journey to find Elisha someone questioned what she was doing and her reply was, “It shall be well.”  Great hope.

As she neared the prophet he sent word to her to see if she was okay.  Her reply was, “It is well.”  Somewhere while riding on the back of that donkey between a dead son and the miracle working man of God she had been reassured that the God who had come through in these days of famine would come through one more time.  Great faith.  In the end, Elisha went into that little prophets chamber where that boy lay dead and shut the door.  When the door opened again that boy was alive.  Great miracle.

What made that woman great?  She had a Great burden for the things of God and the Man of God.  She had a Great need only God could supply.  She had a Great tragedy only God could help her through.  She had a Great faith that all would be well, no matter what.  Then, she had a Great reward in a son that was raised from the dead.  What makes a mother Great is if she dedicates herself, her family and her faith to the Great God of heaven.  I say, God bless all the Great mothers I know today.

Happy Mother’s Day,

BroAdamB

Good Sunday morning.  We hope and pray you are planning to make the most of this brand new day.  Hopefully you will experience something new in your life today, not just the same ole’ thing.  I will experience being 45 years old for the first time today.  45 years ago I was born and every day was a day of new experiences.  Lets talk about being born…

We have lots of friends who have brand new babies in their house.  Little ones that are brand new blank slates full of all potential and promise.  A brand new life.  They are growing, learning, eating & drinking, breathing, and if time carries on, they will have children of their own.  There is evidence in the physical sense.  They will progress from milk to baby food to veggies to steak (Heb 5:12-14).  Progress.  They progress from onesies to toddler sizes to big boy clothes to suits & ties.  From baby shoes to size 12 football cleats. Progress is an evidence of life, that we have been born.  What is the evidence that you have been born again.

In the book of John chapter 3 verse 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus that if he wanted to see the kingdom of God he “must be born again.”  This confused the aged Pharisee.   He only thought of all the progress he had made as a human and it was impossible in his mind.  He was correct in one sense; Human progress has no bearing whatsoever when it comes to being Born again in Christ.  In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 18 that unless we “become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  I got to witness that new birth this week when a middle aged man name Oscar was Born again.  He looked like a little boy who was in trouble but he found grace in the eyes of Christ!

I am asking you to be honest with yourself and with God.  Have your been Born again?  ‘But preacher, I have been going to church all my life.  I sing gospel music.  My husband is a preacher.  I attend conferences.  I know lots of Bible verses.’  Okay, but have you been Born again.  I know too many gospel singers who faced up to the fact that they had sung for years without being saved.  I also personally know of a youthful, cancer survivor, mother of two who was raised a preachers daughter and became a preachers wife but in November 2012 pushed passed me in the pew with these words, “I just don’t know!”  My birthday buddy wife was a lost preachers wife.  But not any more! Praise the Lord! Oh, GLORY!  Scuse’ me for a minute while I have a spell!  SHewee what a Savior!

Are your Born of the Spirit?  If you are you will show evidence of progress.  I you are not you can.  All things can become new (II Cor 5:17).  If you would like to know how to do that call me (615.785.5826) and I will show you in the Bible how you can be Born again.  Go to church this morning and don’t wait till the invitation.  Go straight to the pastor and tell him you want to be saved.  If you are lost we are praying for you.  If you are Born again we pray you will tell someone else.

GOD BLESS,

BroAdamB

P.S.  If you would like to view any of the messages we preached this past week just find us on facebook and watch the video’s.  Adam N Angel Borden on facebook.

 

One of the joys of living is enjoying great conversations. Let’s talk about that…

I had a very interesting short conversation this week at work. One of my co-workers who has been there about 6 months came and stood beside me as I was clocking out on Wednesday. This young man is very nice but he does look as though he fell into a tackle box and some tried to knock the lures off with a bat. He has several piercings and tattoos all over his visible body and he cannot go more than a few words without using foul language.  He and I have had several small conversations in passing mostly about work but occasionally we will see each other in town and recount our visit. But he said something to me that was at first disheartening, but then reaffirming. As he stood beside me awkwardly and stared at me I turned to see what he wanted. He says “Somebody told me you are a Pastor.” I told him that I was not a pastor but I am a preacher. His next words struck me.  “I never would have guessed that.” Balloon deflating, ego deflating, spirit deflating. But then he said, “But it does make sense to me. I never hear you cuss. I’ve never seen you get real mad. And you always treat people very nice.”

As it turns out all he had to go on was the small conversations that we had. In those brief encounters he had seen and heard enough to get the idea that I could be a preacher. That was reassuring and immediately my thoughts went to this verse. Philippians 1:27 says in part, “Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ:” Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven.” Let’s think about how many people that we have short encounters with every day; gas station attendants, check out workers at Walmart, folks beside us in traffic, drive-through workers. In those brief conversations what do they come away with in light of our conversation. Would they have any suspicion that we are a child of God. Or would those brief encounters of only a few seconds or minutes show a conversation that in no way would lead them to believe we are a Christian much less a minister of the Gospel. That’s a pretty sobering thought, isn’t it?

We are not always dressed up in our Sunday best indicating that we are going to or coming from a church service so we should as Paul said, “adorn the doctrine of Christ” with our words and with our kindness (Titus 2:10). We never know what a few choice words can do in the life of a lost person.

GOD BLESS!

BroAdamB

This is the day the Lord has made.  Let’s make up our mind to give Him the proper place of preeminence in our lives.  Let’s talk about the Place that we give to the Lord in our lives…

In Matthew 9 Jesus was called to the home of a certain ruler who explained that his daughter was dead.  But, the man believed that if Jesus would lay His hand upon her she would live again.  In verse 18 this man Made a Place of Worship.  He invited Jesus to his place (I Sam 7:3).  All through scripture Jesus was moved by great faith.  When He heard this ruler’s request Jesus immediately arose and in verse 19 Jesus Came to the Rulers (Jarius) Place.

The funeral music was already in full swing when they arrived with very vocal grief, music, emotion and activity, but, the parents of the girl were silent.  Jesus declared that they were too quick to judge the situation (I Thes 4:13).  In verse 23 Jesus demanded they Make a Quiet Place (Is 32:17).  As the shallow, negative, hopeless crowds laughed Jesus Gave Place for Hope (Ps 71:14).

In verse 25 Jesus Gave Place for a Miracle.  What was dead is now alive.  What an encouragement of faith that can give us.  What is lost can be found.  What is hurt can be healed.  What is broken can be fixed,  What is ignorant can be educated.  What is sin-stained can be cleansed.  What is indebted can be paid… IF we will Give Place for the presence of Jesus, for the touch of Jesus in our lives, and as we read in the Luke 8:54 account the word of the Lord.   Let us Give Place for the Lord today.

God Bless You All,

BroAdamB

Happy Resurrection Morning!  Our hope and prayer is that you are surrounded with family and friends, in awe of the power of the resurrection of Christ.  By the way, He is the only perfect, only praise-worthy, only coming again, only Risen Son of God.  Let’s talk about another son…

In the gospel of Luke chapter 15 we find the stories of three lost items that were found; the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son.  We know him as the Prodigal Son who demanded his inheritance and left his loving father to go his own way.  It did not take long for the money to run out, the friends to walk out, and all the grand plans to peter out.  So, he went home to a forgiving father.

Did you know there was another father and son with some similar circumstances but very different outcomes.  This is the tale of two sons.

2 Sons; The Prodigal & the Propitiation

One son left home mad at dad.  The other Son left home with Father’s blessing.  One son told his dad, “I wish you were dead.”  The other Son  told his father, “I will go to die.”  One son went to sow wild oats.  The other Son came to sow seeds of the Gospel.  One son left to do his own thing. The other Son  came to do will of the Father.  One son went to live a riotous life, The other Son  came to live a holy, sinless, perfect life. One son went on to spend all his riches. The other Son  left all his riches in heaven.  One son wanted to be a big man. The other Son  humbled himself as a servant.  One son had lots of good time friends that left him. The other Son  had 12 disciples; among them 1 devil and only 1 at His cross.  One son starved for a piece of bread, The other Son  was the bread of life.  One son realized how wrong he had been. The other Son was the personification of complete righteousness.  One son went ended up in the pits of the world. The other Son  descended to the pits of Hell to get the keys to death, hell, and the grave.  One son went home with scars, The other Son  went home with scars.  One son went back home with nothing. The other Son  went back home with the blood.  One son became most famous prodigal. The other Son  came to redeem all prodigals.   One son had a father waiting at home for his son to return. The other Son  had the Father waiting in heaven for His son to return.  One son heard his father say all is forgiven.  The other Son told his Father all of humanity is forgiven.  Both sons were glad to be home.  Both Father’s were glad their sons were home.

Prodigals may not always be in a far country but it could be that their “heart is far from me[God]…” (Mt 15:8).  There is still a Father waiting for them to come walking down the road toward home where all is forgiven and a new beginning awaits.

Praise the SON OF GOD this Sunday morning for His resurrection power!

BroAdamB

Our hope and prayer is that the Lord is amazing you with how He provides.  Let’s talk about that…

We were blessed to be able to attend the Middle Tennessee Baptist Church Teen Camp Meeting from Thursday night through Saturday morning this week and then we travelled to Pontotoc, MS to sing with the Old Time Preachers Quartet.  What great preaching and singing we heard and wonderful fellowship we enjoyed.  So many memorable messages were preached but I want to share the theme of the one that sticks out in my mind.  Brother Rudy Smith from Mt. Sinai Baptist in Pickens, SC (mtsinaibaptistch.net) preached out of I Kings 18:8-12 on the subject, When you get to the bottom of your barrel, you come to the top of His!  My soul what a thought.

Brother Rudy retraced the steps of the children of Israel through scripture who had done all they could do in their own strength and had reached the bottom of the barrel but then God allowed them to reach down and scoop out a handful from His (Ex 14, 15, 16, II Kings 4, 19, Luke 5, John 6, Acts 16, II Cor 12).  Oh, how many times I have tried to work things out and plan and plot out a path only to come up short with my ability, my tenacity, my ingenuity, and my influence.  But God said, “Just reach down one more time and see what I can do,” and my hand was filled with provision.  Hallelujah!

My friend, I have scraped my hand around the bottom of the barrel plenty of times in my life; the bottom emotionally, financially, spiritually, and in company.  As brother Rudy preached the paint off the walls my mind went back to all those times that I could not go on and The God of Heaven would pull up the boards from the bottom of my barrel and reveal that it was sitting on top of His full barrel.  He proved it to me many times this week.

If you are scrounging around for provision, encouragement, the joy of your salvation, fellowship, or funds, God can provide if we will seek Him and follow His commands.  His barrel will waste not, and His oil will not fail (I Kings 18:16).

God Bless You, and may Long Live Old Time Religion

BroAdamB

evangelistadamborden.com