I’m in Room 108, Can You Help Me

Hello, Brian speaking:  His voice was calm, but a little shaken.  “Hi, my name is Terry.  I have just gotten out of the hospital and am trying to get back to L.A.”  He continues, “I am a Christian and have turned my life around.  You see, I went to Baltimore to try to make amends with my family, but it didn’t work out.”  His voice softens and more timid, but he continues, “I have HIV, full blown aids.  I have about five months to live.  I turned my life over to God about six months ago and have never felt freer in all my life.  I have learned about the grace and mercy of God from my new spiritual family.  I thought that if I went to Baltimore, I would get the same treatment from them.  It wasn’t the same.  My dad walked out of the room and never said another word to me.  I left the house and caught a ride with a person who was traveling to your town.”  He paused and let out a sigh.  “I’m in room 108, can you help me?  A friend of mine in L.A. is sending me a bus ticket by mail and it will arrive tomorrow.  I need a place to stay for another night and some food to eat.  Can you help me?” 

My first thought was about my brother, Keith.  He died several years ago with full-blown aids.  Terry’s voice was heart wrenching to my soul.  His story brought back memories of my own brother.  The way Terry’s father and my own father treated each son, was drastically different.  Terry will die alone.  No mom or dad at his bedside.  No brothers or sisters praying.  No family member to hold his hand or to sit with him in his last days.

 

I thought how our Heavenly Father responded to Terry when he surrendered his life to him.  With compassion?  YES!  With mercy?  YES!  With grace?  Yes!   Yes, yes, yes!  So, I decided to do something.  I told Terry that I would meet him at the motel.  He said, “I am in room 108.”  When I arrived and opened his motel door, I found a man whose face was mangled hard living and HIV.  His body is frail.  His voice is weak.  His days are numbered.  I saw my brother all over again.  What do I do?  What can I do?  What would Jesus do?

 

I sat in a chair next to the door while Terry sat on the end of his bed.  He said, “I lived a rough life of drugs and sex. I hooked up with a man who never told me that he was HIV positive.  Now, I have it too.  Five months is all the doctor is giving me.  I gave my life to Christ and now I am preparing to die…alone.  Can you help me?”

 

What would Jesus do?  Jesus said in Matthew 25 “that when we give food, water, or clothing to the least…you have also done it unto me.”  I thought, “food, water, and clothing is the easy part, but what about being alone, who is going to be there for him?”  King David said in Psalm 23 that God leads us.  Restores us.  Guides us.  Walks with us.  Comforts us. Prepares for us.   Anoints us.  And, dwells with us. 

 

Terry will never be alone.  God is right there with him through life, death, and life again.  I left the motel room knowing that God is truly leading the way for Terry just like he does for all of us!

 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

 

Brian

God Turns Loneliness into Companionship

 There are people in life that captures our heart.  Their presence is an incredible blessing and it penetrates deep into the core of our soul.  There is no other feeling as powerful than the one who makes our heart feel sensational, calm and joyful. 

 

God never does anything halfheartedly, nor does he make mistakes in placing that one person in our lives who makes all the difference in the world.   God knows exactly what we need even before we know it.  He knows how to make the best connections, the best conversationalists, the best spiritual partners, the best listeners, the best friends and the best caregivers.   Never question God’s timing because he doesn’t view time as we do.  Never underestimate God’s ability to maneuverer his way through our lives in order to unite the very person who needs to be there! Never doubt God’s decisions, for they are the perfect ones. 

 

God has his radar on each of us.  He feels our pain.  He hears our cry.  He sees our brokenness.  He cares.  He holds.  He helps.  He leads.  He gives.  There is not a second of a day that God turns himself off to us.  There is never a moment when God says he is too busy.  God is always connected to us. 

 

There are a countless people who fight loneliness every day.  There are individuals who go through life never believing that God is on the scene providing exactly what is needed.  Many reject the people God places at their door due to fear or outright disbelief or the person at the door isn’t the right one or others convince them that there is someone better; you need more time.  God holds the time card of our lives, no one else. 

 

When we become vulnerable before God and surrender our imperfections, our lack of faith, our opinions, our judgmental attitudes and our rejections of the person God sends to us, it is in that moment we will experience calmness and be able to rest our minds that there is someone who will walk life with us. 

 

God is in the business of shielding us.  Psalm 3:3-4, 8 “But you, God, shield me on all sides;
you ground my feet, you lift my head high; with all my might I shout up to God, His answers thunder from the holy mountain.  Real help comes from God. Your blessing clothes your people!”  If you really want to feel safe, then trust God.  If you really want that one person in your life that makes a difference, then accept whom God places at your door.  If you want to experience a life with someone, then be open to God’s timing.

 

Our Heavenly Father doesn’t want anyone to be alone or feel rejected.  The Scriptures declare that God “…will never leave us....” God is always in the middle of whatever is going on with us.  He is our forever Father and friend.  Trust God.  Be happy for those whom God gifts with that special someone in order to make their lives better.  Never take matters into your own hands.  Never fight with God because of the choices he made for you or someone else, you will lose every time. 

 

God is forever in love with you.  Trust. 

 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

 

Brian

Brian's Sermons

 

                                                                                      

                                    

Our Hope is in the Eternal Life

Holding on to Integrity 

The Boneyard

Love Matters 

The Future is Full of Hope

Jesus Sacrificed 

God's Abilities

Temptation Are Not From God

 Have you heard the expression:  “God won’t give you more than you can bear?”  The truth is, God won’t, but it does not have anything to do with trials or hardships or loss of job or sickness or bad relationships. 

 

The misquoted expression comes from 1^st Corinthians 10:13 which says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

 

The truth is; God will not allow us to be so overwhelmed by any temptation that we will ultimately destroy our relationship with him due to no alleyway to escape temptation’s grip.

 

Temptation is real and we must never think we have it conquered it.  The Apostle Paul made it crystal clear that arrogance about “spiritually arrived” is dangerous when he said, “If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.” 1^st Corinthians 10:12.   Satan is always looking for the backdoor entrance into our soul.  He scouts out our weaknesses and works overtime to infiltrate the vulnerabilities that are exposed.  Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy….” John 10:10  And, the Apostle Peter warned us to “Be self-controlled and alert, your enemy the devil prowls around like an roaring lion looking for someone to devour….”1^st Peter 5:8

 

God doesn’t leave us stranded on “temptation island” to fend for ourselves while Satan is attacking us from every angle. God provides the most powerful arsenal to intercept the attacks.  God equips us with his Spirit to squelch any “gratifying desire that is sinful.” Galatians 5:16 and the Sprit will instill “self-control” over desires that has the potential to lead us to sin.

 

There are three important factors to know when dealing with temptation: 

 

#1.  Temptations do not come from God; rather, they come from Satan – “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone….”  James 1:13

 

#2.  God gives us his Spirit as a gift to lead us spiritually –  “…You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

 

#3.  If you stifle the Spirit, it loses its power to be effective in protecting us from Satan’s attacks – “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.” 1^st Thessalonians 5:19

 

 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

 

Brian

Experiencing God’s Heaven

 Looking over a mountain ridge and seeing the incredible, creative and masterful architectural landscape God so perfectly laid out for us, is a reminder that God can be experienced anywhere.

God can be experienced in the stillness of a night or through the beauty of the night skies as billions of galaxies are brightly shining or through the sounds of voices or musical instruments or through the touch of a loving hand or the first glimpse of the newborn baby that is held for the first time. 

 

God sees us. Hears us. Understands us. Desires us. Loves us. 

 

When we pray for God’s intervention, we experience a Father who responds to us with the best solutions and answers to our requests. King David said about God, “I patiently waited, LORD, for you to hear my prayer. You listened and pulled me from a lonely pit full of mud and mire. You let me stand on a rock with my feet firm….” Psalm 40:1-2

 

When addictive behaviors are no longer our desire and we want something better, God perfectly set into motion a way for a better life to be experienced. “…While we were still sinners Christ sacrificed his life for us.” Romans 5:8 

 

All the materialistic things in life will never give us the eternal experience that God’s heaven will give us. God’s heaven is our eternal home. Jesus said, “There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together.”  John 14:2-3 

 

And, in God’s heaven, we will experience a life free from the world’s burdens. John said, “He [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4

 

God’s love runs deep and his desire is for us to experience a life with him. You can experience a better life and an eternal life with him when you choose to live a life that is God controlled!

 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

 

Brian 

Love Matters

Love is a powerful word! Actually, it is the most powerful of all words. Love must never be jerked around as if it has no value or emotion or substance to it. Rather, love must be respected and taken seriously whenever it is felt or said.

Without love, there would be an emptiness in every relationship and a void that could never be filled by anything else. 

 

Love matters! It matters because it guides us in our disagreements, hurts, pain and relational troubles. Love matters because it helps us look at every angle of a situation in which we struggle to compromise. Love matters because it opens the door to conversations with people who are hurtful, mean and bullies. Love matters because it is constant, unwavering and never compromises its effectiveness for any other alternative. Love matters because it breaks down barriers, brings people to the table for conversations and stops hate in its tracks. 

 

Love is not a hoarder of past mistakes; rather, its shreds them and moves on. Love doesn't get all excited when someone fails; but rather, finds solutions to help pick the person up. Love does not bad mouth anyone; rather, it encourages everyone and demonstrates kindness, tenderness and goodness. 

 

We know how to love because God loved us first - 1st John 4:19. God showcased amazing love through demonstrations (Romans 5:8) and by gifting us with his one and only Son (John 3:16). We can learn a lot by the way God loved. He never stops loving us even when we are horribly difficult to deal with. 

 

Love will never allow anyone to hate, disrespect or demean anyone at anytime no matter what. When we love people more than anything else, we will live in a world of peace! Love Matters!

 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

 

Brian

How to STOP Anxiety in its Tracks

 

Matthew 5 records that Jesus nestled himself on the side of a mountain and began to teach the large crowd who had diseases, pain, demon-possession, seizures, and those who were paralyzed.

In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus is giving spiritual guidance to the thousands with the problem of a worried and stressed out life. 

 

Anxiousness is gripping and it keeps us in a whirlwind of uncertainty. The Greek word translated as "anxious" is "to be pulled in different directions." Our fearfulness pulls us in one direction and our hope pulls us in the other direction; thus, we are pulled apart!

 

Jesus lays out a stress reducer that will free anyone from the grip of anxiousness in Matthew 6:25-34

 

1. Don't fuss over food and clothes (Matthew 6:25) - While food, clothing, and water are important, the real substance in life is feasting upon the Word's of God. Matthew 4:1-11, "...not live by bread alone, but on every Word...." Life was not meant to primarily please ourselves, but rather, to bring glory and honor to God – Matthew 5:16.

 

2. Don’t forget who provides for you (Matthew 6:26) - If you ever watch birds, you will notice that they are not lazy. They are digging for worms and bugs and building nests out of scraps of tree leaves or other materials. Birds do not hoard a load of worms in their nest, nor are they concern if there will be any food tomorrow. They live as hard working creatures with no worries about the next meal.

Philippians 4:19 sums is up well, "You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus."

 

3. Don’t fight what you cannot change (Matthew 6:27) - Worry sabotages our joy, zaps our energy, and displaces our courage.  Proverbs 12:25, "A worried heart weighs a man down...." and Jesus give the ultimate remedy to a stressed out life when he said, “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30

 

Trusting Jesus will loosen the grip of anxiety and open the door to calmness and peace. 

 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

 

Brian