My view for the evening. Though the prey I seek eludes me, the beauty I enjoy is right before me. Causes me to long for more Christ-likeness as I desire to reflect His light as the moon reflects that of the sun. 

A little taste of a "Bradsher" Christmas! Pop shared the Word, we shared some grub, and then open some gifts. Thankful for the family God has placed me in that enjoys being together and celebrating the birth of the KING! 

Christmas at "Papa B's" this year was full eating and singing! Thanks "Papa B" for a great meal and a great time of fellowship. We read the Christmas story from Hebrews, Ate a hearty lunch, and sang some Christmas Carols. 

Saw this "tiny" fella hanging out in a tree Sunday afternoon. Me and the fab-5 took a hike in the woods for the afternoon enjoying the beauty of God's Creation - even the snake :) Fyi - my daughter asked me to let him/her live though Kimberly was not all that excited that we did. We also saw a turkey, some deer signs, and whole lot of briars. 

Mailed these off yesterday for the families of our persecuted brothers & sisters in various nations. Our 3G (Small Group) collected many items like soap, hoods, gloves, blankets, towels, etc. Prayerfully the Father will use these items to encourage them to remain faithful to the gospel! If you desire to partake of this blessing go here.

I am eternally grateful this morning that God is "a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love..." Nehemiah 9:b. The battle between the flesh and the Spirit  for the believers affections is intense. The flesh is weak, but the Spirit is willing; however, we often fall prey to the temptations "of the moment." Before we know it we have given in to the flesh, failed, and sinned against God. O do I long for the day when sin is no more and the Evil One is burning in the flames of eternal torment, while the followers of Jesus bask in His glory forever. But, for now the battle rages on and I/we must push forward. What then are we to do WHEN we fail, when we sin, when we give in to the flesh? John the Apostle provides us with great theology when he states, "If we confess [agree with God that we have sinned against Him] our sin, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9. The God Nehemiah speaks of is the same God John speaks of who postures Himself in such a manner that He is "ready to forgive" based not on our goodness, but on His justness and faithfulness. How is He just in forgiving sin? He has dealt justly with sin in His Son Jesus Christ, "He who knew no sin became sin for us..." and "He [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also of the sins of the whole world" 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 2:2. In my failures, in my "caving to the flesh" God stands ready to forgive. O such grace in the face of such an intense battle for my affections that rages forward daily and intensely. God, thank you for being ready to forgive me this morning, for being gracious and merciful towards me - a great sinner. Thank you for not merely forgiving, but cleansing, purging, restoring, and transforming me. Now I pray O Father use the beauty of your Word to increase my affections for You and You alone! To the praise of your glory! Amen.

Great "Resolution" Advice

Here is some great advice from Tim Challies on how to make New Year's Resolutions "stick." Considering my past experiences with resolutions, his advice seems sound and helpful. I often try to resolve too much with little specificity and no real plan. I will pray over the next few days as to what 1-3 resolutions I can make that matters and I can place in practice for His glory. Happy New Year!!

Finished reading Al Mohlers Conviction to Lead last week. I will post a summary of the book and some pointers at a later date; however, one characteristic described by Mohler that "hits home" - "The Leader Knows that Time Is the Great Equalizer of Humanity." Mohler goes on to state, " I find myself constantly humbled by the fact that I am limited to the same twenty-four-hour days that Abraham and Jacob knew. The scarcity of time is the great level of humanity, affecting the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless." No matter where we lead or who we lead we are all limited by the same amount of time. The question remains, "what will I do with the time God has allotted for me today in order to fulfill His mission?" Time is indeed a valuable resource to be used for the Glory of God. If I, as a leader, desire to leave a legacy I must utilize every moment to further the mission given me by God. I desire to recognize "key moments" in time to communicate my convictions in each area of leadership God has graciously given me. More on time later, but for now I want to cultivate a "tender loving care of time" in my life as a leader that I may lead impressionably for the kingdom of God. I urge every leader to read Mohler's Conviction to Lead for great practical insight into effective leading.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/27/us/nypd-officer-rafael-ramos-services/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29

Saddened by the murder of officers Ramos and Wenjian Liu on the streets of New York. First, as men created in the image of God and then as men who sought to protect the citizens of New York, Ramos and Wnejian Liu should have been valued and respected. Their deaths are tragic due to the nature in which they were taken and the flagrant disregard for those who "protect and serve." Though the death of every officer in the line of duty is tragic, this "execution style" death causes us to morn even deeper as those who represent the law where targeted. Evident from the funeral of Officer Ramos, he was a man of honor who found pleasure in serving others. Those close to him say he "loved God" above all else and sought to serve on an even greater level by pursuing an education in chaplaincy. His pastor stated, "He was a man of great faith, and his faith informed his worldview, not just as a police officer, but as a husband and as a father." What Ramos believed informed they way he lived. What a challenge to the follower of Jesus. Would this be said of me? Would this be said of you? 

Though we grieve with our brothers & sisters who are facing physical torture & death for the sake of the gospel, we rejoice that Christianity provides hope that extends well beyond buildings & relics. I am challenged this morning by this article to pray for the boldness of my brothers & sisters as their are imprisoned & tortured for their exclusive faith in King Jesus. May the eternal hope & pleasure of the gospel sustain them, strengthen them, and satisfy them in these days. I am furthered challenged to pray for the conversion of some if not all of the ISIS religious "psychopaths." The Apostle Paul once zealously murdered Followers of Jesus, but the grace of God rescued, redeemed, and redirected Him.   May the beauty & glory of Christ shine in the eyes & souls of these militants that they may find true hope. You can read the article here.

Life Transforming Power - Reminder

How often we need reminding that Jesus Christ, who is alive from the Dead, has life transforming power. He came that we may have life and have it to the FULL. Here is a reminder of how He transforms the lives of those we as society may consider beyond help. David Wood WAS a sociopath who was found by the Author of Life. A powerful display of how ones philosophy of life leads to decisions making as well as how the Christ of God displays the power of the Resurrection today as He did some 2,000 years ago. Watch here

"Winning the Battle"

Enamored with sexual innuendos and images, many Christian men (and women) fall prey to the "sexually free" ideology of the day. Many Christian leaders, some well known and some unknown, sacrifice their character and leadership positions due to sexual temptation. The Scriptures are clear that no even a hint of immorality is to be present in the life of the believer; however, the temptation to succumb to such remains powerful. Randy Alcorn provides good insight and instruction in his short booklet called Sexual Temptation: Establishing Guardrails and Winning the Battle. He provides good guardrails in the life of the believer in overcoming sexual temptation, while pointing the Christian to the Scriptures as the main source of transformation. Some Guardrails like: "counting the cost of sin," "accountability," and "confession and repentance" are highlighted by Alcorn, all Biblical concepts, to aid the Christian in overcoming the powerful temptation. In an age of "easy access" to much pornography, I urge men and women to Battle this great temptation, which if heeded, can destroy your family and render you "cripple" in God's kingdom work. You can find Alcorn's booklet here.