Title or Testimony?

WOW! It's been an incredible couple of weeks! Things have been crazy at work but we have finally got things on track(praise the Lord)! His blessings are everywhere.
It has been my honor to be appointed men's minister at my home church. We look forward to this responsibility and the blessings the Lord has in store for us.
One of the duties is to have a speaker at our 1st Saturday of the month men's breakfast. It is called "My Brothers Keeper" and it is a community wide movement, all churches are invited and many differant ones are represented. Instead of having a preacher every month I felt lead to have men share their testimony. I think we need to get back to our testimonies, remember where we came from! Saying that brings me to a person I work with that has one of the most powerful testimonies I've ever heard.
I work in a prison and I've come to know all kinds of men, not all bad, some have found the Lord and work for His kingdom everyday. There is one man I've gotten to know that humbles me a great deal. This man will probably be in prison the rest of his life and he amazes me the attitude of pure joy he has every day. We should take a lesson from this man, if he can find such joy in the Lord in prison what does that say for us? He tells me that prison was the best thing that ever happened to him because he found Jesus here! I could go on but it would overwhelm me to try and tell his complete story. Anyway that's his testimony not mine!
I guess this brings me to my point or why I picked this title. Several years ago I heard sermon with the same title:"Do you have a title or a testimony". In todays society with all the stress put on success and doing well financely, I think to much is put on your title you achieve and not your testimony in life. If we wonder what is really important or how a person could find joy in prison I believe the Bible has the perfect example: Philippians 1:12-14


12Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[b] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

Here the Apostle Paul tells about being confined and all he does is praise God for the opportunity to advance the Gospel, now that's a testimony! I think we can all take a lesson from these powerful accounts of what God can do in any circumstances!
I hope and pray you enjoy this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it. In the meantime;
I love you and the LORD surely loves you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In HIM, BrianF

Well friends here we are at the end of the week. It has been a week full of blessings and also our share of problems, that's how it is. The first of the year I asked for growth and this is how one grows; through trials! Be careful what you pray for! I would not change anything, GOD has taken care of my family and me as HE always will! I realized last week that you don't go to bed 5 ft. tall (spiritually) and wake up 6'8", don't work that way!
This will be a short blog, I'll get back in the swing of things in the next couple of weeks. We are going through some major changes at work so my blog may miss a couple of weeks, bare with me please.

Philippians 4:4-7
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I end as always, I Love You and the LORD surely Loves You!!!!!!!!!
In HIM, BrianF

Serving

Good Morning All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's great to be back in the swing of things, I've been ill for about two weeks,nothing serious.
This past weekend I finally started feeling good so I decided to do a little project that needed doing and would help others. A friend and fellow minister had the same idea so we pitched in and got the job done. This little project reminded me of a time in my life when I was blessed to take a child that had been very ill fishing. O.K. this would be to long of a story to go into, so take my word for it please, it was a blessing of a life time to take this child and her friend out in my boat! It was awesome!
We need to remember that our Master and Savior came as a servant! You see the thing is when we serve WE get a huge blessing! Why is it so hard to remember that? You think about it and I'll bet everytime you've helped someone, with the right motives, you have been blessed beyond measure. Let's take a look at what Jesus had to say:
Luke 14:12-14 12Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (NIV)
Read verse 14a again "and you will be blessed" my friends this comes straight from the mouth of our Lord and Savior!
Meditate on these things in the days ahead and remember while lending a hand or helping out, you may end up with the greatest blessing of all!

As always I love you and the Lord surely loves you!!!!!!!!
In Him, BrianF