My Heart - God's Place

I have this theory. Basically, when someone calls you on the phone the last thing they say to you is the thing they really wanted to talk about. For instance... "Hey Derek! Just calling to see what's up. How are you? I'm fine! Did you see that Panthers game? Crazy! Oh, by the way, I was wondering if I could use your truck?" See that... The last thing was the main point.

So I was reading my Bible this morning and I applied my theory to 1st John. The last thing said is...

Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. 1 John 5:21

Seems like the entire letter is summed up in a simple statement at the end. The problem is that "anything" "might" take God's place in your heart. Of course, we know the bad stuff can take His place. But what about the good and noble stuff like starting a church? Yeah, the problem with anything is that it includes anything! Don't let pursuing good get in the way of pursuing God. In the end, good will result when only God fills that place in your heart.

Hear God

How important is it that we hear God? Your life depends on it! God speaks in many ways, but if we don't take it to heart our lives will show it. If you don't like the direction your life is going then it's time for a course correction. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." A word from God taken to heart means hearing and doing what God speaks. But how do we know which one is God's voice with so many voices competing for our attention? This is your year to simplify your life and cut out the clutter so your heart can know God's voice!

Branch Family Church

Get Planted

Psalm 27:8 - My heart has heard you say, Come and talk with me. And my heart responds, Lord, I am coming.

Grow Strong

How to hear the voice of God...

1. Turn down the volume of other things. Matthew 6:6 Message - Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
2. Be still. Psalm 46:10 & Psalm 37:7
3. Listen. John 10:27 – To the Word (Mark 9:7 & John 1:1, 14) To the wise (Proverbs 12:15)
4. Do it! James 1:22-25 - Obedience will open the eyes of your understanding.
   

Branch Out

Romans 10:9-10 NLT & Message - The word that saves is right here, as near as the tongue in your mouth, as close as the heart in your chest. It's the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God—"Jesus is my Master"—embracing, body and soul, God's work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That's it. You're not "doing" anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That's salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: "God has set everything right between him and me!" Scripture reassures us, "No one who trusts God like this—heart and soul—will ever regret it."

Primal

Almost every Christmas break I read a book. Usually, I buy one that looks intriguing or is highly hyped by people I respect. But this year I got one sent to me free of charge from Mark Batterson. Mark is the Pastor of National Community Church and I recently met him at the WFX conference in Charlotte. To say that Primal is a book you need to read is an understatement. Primal is a book you need to live! It's about being great at the Great Commandment. Reading Primal ranged from convicting to confirming. Convicting with statements like, "I've learned that when I think Jesus is wrong, it actually reveals what's wrong with me." And confirming to know that there are others out there like me that don't just want to start another church, but a reformation!

"This book takes you back to a primal place where God loved you and you loved God. And that's all that mattered."

Thanks Mark... Amo Dei!

We will be buying bulk copies for distribution at the Branch but if you can't wait, click the Primal book picture to order your own copy.

Thanks - The Humility of Christmas

I used to travel. For seven years I travelled so much I racked up over 1.5 million frequent flyer miles. I had Executive Platinum status and got favorable treatment in airports all over the world. Jesus travelled quite a distance in Mary's womb to be born in the Bethlehem, the town where He was destined to be born. Some estimate it took between 4 days to over a week to get from Nazereth to Bethlehem and it was pretty rough. But that wasn't the longest journey Jesus took. He left His home in Heaven to come to Earth. He left His place with God to become human. He came to buy us back... to rescue us. He travelled for me and you.

Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger

Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliness hero, wrapped in his mothers shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?

Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn savior
All that we have whether costly or meek
Because we believe
Gold for his honor and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he’ll suffer
Do you believe, is this who we’ve waited for?
It’s who we’ve waited for

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me

All for me
All for you
All for me
All for you

How Many Kings - DOWNHERE

Branch Family Church
The Humility of Christmas

Get Planted

Luke 2:1-7 - The first Christmas was marked by travel. Jesus travelled a great distance to make Christmas happen.

Grow Strong

Philippians 2:6-11 Message - He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

Branch Out

Philippians 2:1-5 Message - If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. --C.S. Lewis.

Thanks - The Humble Truth

The story is told of Teddy Roosevelt entertaining guests at his Sagamore Hill estate on Long Island. After a late dinner, he invited his guests outside to walk beneath the brilliant nighttime sky. After a silent, reverent stroll, Roosevelt said: "I guess we've been humbled enough now. Let's go inside."

Click the graphic for the Podcast or listen online @ BranchChurch.

Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. --C.S. Lewis.

Branch Family Church
Thanks - The Humble Truth

Get Planted

Luke 18:9-14 Message - He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.' "Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.' Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

Grow Strong

1 Peter 5:6-9 - Taking the care leads to discouragement and disappointment.
Romans 5:1-5 - Hope anticipates (with pleasure) and expects good in the midst of trials.

Philippians 4:19
Matthew 6:25-33

Branch Out

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - This is the will of God for you!

My Theme Song

Walk On

And love is not the easy thing
The only baggage you can bring...
And love is not the easy thing...
The only baggage you can bring Is all that you can't leave behind

And if the darkness is to keep us apart
And if the daylight feels like it's a long way off
And if your glass heart should crack
And for a second you turn back
Oh no, be strong
Walk on, walk on

What you got, they can't steal it
No they can't even feel it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight...

You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen

You could have flown away A singing bird in an open cage
Who will only fly, only fly for freedom
Walk on, walk on

What you got they can't deny it
Can't sell it or buy it
Walk on, walk on
Stay safe tonight

And I know it aches
And your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Home...hard to know what it is if you never had one
Home...I can't say where it is but I know I'm going home
That's where the heart is

I know it aches
How your heart it breaks
And you can only take so much
Walk on, walk on

Leave it behind
You've got to leave it behind
All that you fashion
All that you make
All that you build
All that you break
All that you measure
All that you steal
All this you can leave behind
All that you reason
All that you sense
All that you speak
All you dress up
All that you scheme...

Music: U2
Lyrics: Bono
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Thanks - The Language of Faith

Have you ever hit the "enter" key before you really wanted to and sent an email by mistake? Maybe you just forgot to spell check it and now you are embarrassed at the typo that makes you look goofy. Worse yet, you wanted to edit it because your draft was a little too harsh and you needed your wife to review it first. Ask me how I know! The best way to reply is with "Thanks" and according to Psalm 100 it is the password to enter God's favor. Thanks always hits the right key!

Click the picture for the Podcast or listen online at BranchChruch.org

Branch Family Church
Thanks!

Get Planted

Thanks / Thankful – Grateful; impressed with a sense of kindness received. Gratitude is the feeling or sentiment excited by kindness; thanks are the expression of that sentiment.

Philippians 4:6-7

Grow Strong
Thanksgiving is the language of faith

Thanks in Jesus:

• Matthew 11:25-26
• Matthew 15:36
• John 11:41-42

Thanks in Others:

• Luke 17:15-18
• Luke 18:10-14

Branch Out

Colossians 3:12-15 – The description of what life in a community of Believers should look like. Acts of kindness, doing good to others, are the seeds that will create a heart of thanksgiving.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 – Be thankful about others’ growth.