Day 83: KEEPING THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING — Pastor Bryant
Today’s Reading
Galatians 4 – Colossians 4
I'm headed to the airport in Durham, North Carolina after preaching in Kinston, North Carolina last night. On Thursday I was in Mansfield, Ohio an hour outside of Columbus, Ohio preaching for one of my sons in the ministry to try to give him support in the community in which he has been assigned. On Wednesday I was in Tampa, Florida preaching for the Family Feast conference sponsored by the Church of God. Tuesday due to some demanding business meetings in Washington, DC I wasn't able to make it back for Bible study. This morning I woke up with a tremendous heaviness of heart not out of fatigue or weariness but about the welfare of those whom I have been assigned to pastor. In the age in which we live in multi tasking has become the norm for our times. People are continuously on the phone, working on computers, while watching television, cooking and attending to their families. Amidst all of that you have to be intentional to keep the main thing the main thing. The Lord has blessed me to have the capacity to do many thing, operate as the head of a family, evangelize, lecture, business, write books, mentor, preach, blog, cast vision and administrate but above all I'm clear that the main call on my life is to pastor. It matters not what arenas, halls, stadiums or convention centers I’m blessed to preach in, there is no greater desire than seeing the people I've been entrusted to pastor at 4217 Primrose—Empowerment Temple.
I hope today you will take a moment and assess as well as prioritize what is the main thing you are supposed to be doing in this season of your life. I'm confident that you are gifted in many areas but what is your main thing. Our staff is one of the most gifted in the planet but the beauty of them all is that they all know there main thing .Jesus could heal the sick, raise the dead, feed the multitude, walk on water, teach from sun up to sundown, restore sight to the blind and make the lame walk; however he was clear that the main thing He was set on this earth to do was to die on the cross. Your main thing may be killing you but if it’s what you were born to do, you will rise again.
In our reading today in Ephesians, Paul exposes his true heart: he's a mentor, a Bishop, a writer, a motivator, a Theologian but at his heart he's a pastor. Listen to his prayer in Ephesians 3:14-20. What he prayed for the church at Ephesus is the same thing I pray for all of you.
14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[a] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[b] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. —New Living Translation
I asked one of my staff members this week to take on an additional assignment and they graciously and respectfully declined saying, "pastor I've got to keep the main thing the main thing" Even at the risk of turning something's down next week keep The Main Thing, The Main Thing
THANK YOU PASTOR,
YOU ARE SUCH A COMMITTED LEADER. Before I joined the membership of Empowerment Temple, I asked God to place me under the covering that speaks into my destiny, without any sugar coating. I have gained much from other wise leaders as Rev. Willie Wilson, Bishop Jakes, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar... Only under your Pastorship along with the awesome staff at Empowerment Temple have I been purged and am being prepare for GREATER WORKS. The MAIN THING for me is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is where GOD has called me, at this time,(There Truly is No Place Like Home)!
Many Blessings
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Amen Pastor you have really been hitting the mark these past few days with the blog. I have been so out of touch with things lately and i got a chance to flip through a few channels and see what we as the body of Christ are really up against i have to keep the main things main. It's so easy to get caught up in the world and the mentality that the world lives by but at some point you have to step back and say i have to keep the main thing main.
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Beautiful Focus!
I will truly miss, Pastor Bryant's daily inspirational and insightful blogs. Thank You!
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Ok be encouraged. In the book of Acts 6:1-4 and in those days, when the number of the disciples were multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians againts the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren,look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer,and to the ministry of the word. The Church will be the Church Amen.
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Thank you Pastor Bryant. We the members of Empowerment Temple are blessed to have you as our leader. May God richly bless you!
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Hello Dr.Bryant, I thank God that he has allowed me to be under your awesome leadership, I do not take it for granted and I will in fact keep the main thing , the main thing.May God continue to bless your life immeasurably.
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Thankyou so much for that word. I needed to be reminded to keep the main thing the main thing.Sometimes we put expectations on ourself and we think that it is God leading us to do so. But it is not God all the time. Sometimes it is our own deep desires that what to do these things.God wants us to live in peace and queitness.I recieve that word with my heart. It is important for me to know what season that I am in,so I can stay BALANCED. The bible says, " An unjust weight is an abomination to the Lord. My prayer is that I might know God more. I don't want to decieved myself, into thinking that I am doing the will of God and it is not his will.Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me, that I can SEE clearly. Thankyou PASTOR Bryant.
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Pastor I must say that your capacity to do many things do not prevent you from hearing from God. God is good. Keeping the main thing the main thing is an intentional act you have obviously mastered and I am sure others like I feel blessed to call you our pastor. The messages you teach and preach are inspiring, challenging and rewarding. Thank you for praying for the body of Christ.
I know what my main thing is and I am hoping to one day be good at it.
I’m including you in this prayer – Ephesians 3:14 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,[a] 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.[b] 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. — New Living Translation
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Pastor after I submitted my first blog I began thinking about the huge responsibility you have in listening to hear the voice of God on behalf of those you’ve been assigned to pastor for not only one but three messages weekly. Wow! When I pray and believe I have heard from God I feel peaceful and when I hear confirmations I get excited knowing it will surely happen, though God would prefer that I rest in what He said to me without expecting a word of confirmation, He sometimes allow me to hear the “message” again. God could never misunderstand my prayer requests and He’s bringing me to a place in Him where I will not misinterpret His answers. I believe everyone has at some point in their life said God answered my prayers. For the length of time I’ve been saved God is probably saying we’ve had too many talks for you to get the wrong idea. Thank God for the bible where His words are written and easily accessible.
Faith is necessary to do and keep the main thing the main thing - Pastor you are blessed and I pray that God will continue to bless you to do what you do!
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I learned how to keep the main thing the main thing by calling Jesus on the main line and telling him what I want! Praise God my steps are divinely ordered by the Lord because juggling a household of 4 being a single parent, I have to remain centered in his word and know what the main thing is and keeping it the main thing!
This has blessed me this evening.
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Praise God, Pastor
It is easy to become distracted in the Christian life. The moment you understand what God want you to do, it will seem as though everyone around you requires your time and attention. When the time came for Jesus to go to the cross, He "set His face" toward Jerusalem, so that nothing would prevent Him from accomplishing His Father's will. So obvious was His resolve to go to Jerusalem that the Samaritans, who hated the Jews, rejected Him because they recognized that He was a Jew traveling through their village to the hated city of Jerusalem. Jesus determined not to digress from His mission, but He took time to minister to many people along His way. He sent out seventy disciples into the surrounding towns. He healed lepers, cured a man of dropsy, brought salvation to the home of Zaccheus and continued to teach His disciples. Jesus did not refuse to minister to others as He went to Calvary, but ultimately He refused to be deterred from His Father's will. If you know what God wants you to do, set your sights resolutely toward that goal with full determination to accomplish it. Your resolve to go where God is leading ought to be evident to those around you. Beware of becoming so sidetracked by the opportunities around you that you lose sight of God's ultimate goal for you. Do not succumb to the temptation to delay your obedience or to discard it altogether. Once you have received a clear assignment from God, your response should be unwavering obedience. In other words, "keep the main thing the main thing."
s
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Pastor Bryant,May God's grace and peace be with you.You're such a blessing to the Body of Christ.What a great ambassador for Christ you are.Leadership carries many titles.I pray that God face continue to shine upon to do his work in leading his flock of sheeps to him.
Paul continues on his journey,asking God to help the church at Ephesus to reach a deeper aprreciation of Jesus love,to better understand"how wide and how long and high and deep is the love of Christ.(Eph.3:18).Paul ask God to fill his children with spiriual wisdom.(Eph.1).
We must know today that we are no longer dead in sin,but alive in Christ and that we are the temple in which God dwells.We are nor children of darkness,but children of light,and we are to be imitators of God in the was we live.
Living for Christ,is to live each day reconizing that we are created in the image of him,made in his likeness.We must put off the old man and put on the new man."KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING" SERVE HIM WITH GLADNESS AND TO THE FULLEST EACH DAY.
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Keys for leadership by Dr. Myles Munroe
A true leader discovers and understands who they are and what their purpose is, they influence their environment more than their environments influence them,
True leadership fundamentally requires the responsibilities of taking followers into the exciting unknown and creating a new reality for them.
Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by a passion, generated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose.
Praise God!!! It is wonderful to have a Pastor that possesses these qualities!!! So I say thank you Pastor Bryant and I pray that your heart would continue to touch Gods heart, and the very thing you need God to do, I ask God to do it according to his will and His way in the name of Jesus!!!
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BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT PART II:
Keeping the Main Thing -- The Main Thing!
On the Day 77 blog entitled, "Power 4 Life" I wrote a Blog entitled BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT which is a response to questions raised by New Believer and Anonymous. This particular blog is a continuation of the former and dedicated to Sister Anonymous.
There are two overarching disciplines that are especially "main things" for Christians although there are more. These disciplines are walking in the spirit and loving.
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
"For all the law is fulfilled in one word... Thou shall love your neighbour as thyself. But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then, 'Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.'" (Gal 5:14-16 NKJV)
BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT (A Continuation from Part I)
Throughout the ages Christians have exercised spirtitual practices prior to seeking an infilling of the Holy Spirit. Following are some of the practices they've exercised:
1.) Study of The Law and the Old Testament before seeking to receive baptism of the Holy Spirit.
2.) Fervently praying with a prayer team or body of Christian Believers for receipt of the Holy Spirit with evidence of tongues until it happens. This may occur after one or more occasions of such prayer.
3.) FASTING and fervently praying for several days solo or in tandem with a group of Believers for baptism of the Holy Ghost.
4.) Regularly attending a place of worship where the gifts of the spirit flow and connecting with the appropriate ministry leader that will partner and support one's spiritual development.
NEED FOR THE SPIRIT
"This is He who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ ... AND IT IS THE SPIRIT WHO BEARS WITNESS, because the Spirit is truth." (1 John 5:6 NKJV)
L O V E !
Vocally, this is perhaps the most overused verb in the universe -- but is love overused physically in actions?
"Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other, let us really show it by our actions." (1 John 3: 18 NLT)
"It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord." (1 John 3:19 NLT)
"Dear friends let us continue to love one another for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God - for God is love." (1 John 4:7 NLT)
"AND GOD GIVES US HIS SPIRIT AS PROOF THAT WE LIVE IN HIM AND HE IN US." (1 John 4:13 NLT)
"We know how much God loves us .... And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. " (1 John 4:16-17 NLT)
" I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more ...." (Phil 1:9)
,
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Sister Renaya, New Believer and Anonymous:
I have read the previous "blogs" concerning the questions asked by each of them on how to receive the Holy Spirit.
We all receive the Holy Spirit the moment we believe in Jesus Christ as our savior. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
The Holy Spirit is the seal of salvation for all those who believe. (Ephesions 1:13-14) Once you believe you are marked by him with a seal, the promise of the Holy Spirit until the redemption of those who are God's.
The ministries of the Holy Spirit is a difficult theory. The receiving/indwelling of the Holy Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation. The filling of the Spirit is an ongoing process in the christians life.
We receive the Holy Spirit by simply believing in The Lord Jesus Christ as our savior. (John 3:16) and the Holy Spirit becomes our permament possession the moment we believe.
My question to New Believer and Anonymous is: do you believe and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal savior? If you answer Yes, then at the moment you say that, the Holy Spirit will enter your life.
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Thank you Sister J Marie.
The questions presented by New Believer/Anonymous have to do with growing deeper into the realm of the Spirit or rather "How do Believers receive the phenomenon known as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as EVIDENCED BY SPEAKING IN TONGUES (a.k.a. the Baptism of Tongues)?"
My blogs answer this question in detail.
The baptism of tongues is a gift of God and a Christian Church birthing phenomenon -- leading to strength and increasing greatness. From what theologians know, it first occurred during the time of the Acts of the Apostles, on the Day of Pentecost.
It helped birth the Christian Church with all of its excitement & inner STRENGTHENING ABILITIES (with no alcohol & no drugs). The outpour of the Spirit became open to all.
This phenomenon also occurred during the historic Azusa Street Pentecostal breakout of 1906 & beyond. It occurred at other times in history and operates in many churches all across the world today.
This impetus (known as tongues) when maintained strengthens & empowers people in many ways. However, for most New Believers the gifts of the Spirit, including tongues, lie as dormant seeds inside of them (1 Cor 12:7 KJV). They must be fired up or "baptized" in order to function in full manifestation (1 Cor 12: 4-6)(1 Cor 14: 2,4).
Apostle Paul wrote to those who are santified in Christ Jesus & those called to be saints to "desire spiritual gifts...." (1 Cor 14:1)
He also said, "I would that you all speak with tongues (and he acknowledged that although prophecies edify the church, he emphasized that tongues edify the individual. Both are important & necessary aspects of church and life grow.) (1 Cor 14:4-5)
In some regards, tongues which benefit the individual could be viewed as an intermediate level of spiritual practice. Prophesying & healing are more advanced levels.
Biblical references concerning the process of Holy Ghost baptism in tongues are found in Acts of the Apostles 10:43-46; Acts 2:1-4, and Acts 2:38-41.
In these passages we see a man of God named Peter who is anointed with apostolic gifts (Pastor Bryant is also one), leading others into manifestation of their apostolic gifts.
Thus a spiritual leader may guide Believers through a process of cleansing & ushers in the Holy Spirit's baptism of gifts or tongues. This is a very real phenomenon. I am a product of it and a witness of many occasions of this dynamic. It's what's been written about in Acts 10:43-46 & Acts 2:38-41.
Gatherings of Believers can also activate the gift through fervent, intentional prayers such as we find occurring in Acts 2:1-4.
A challenge of Christianity and its growth has to do with RAISING THE AWARENESS OF AND DEMONSTRATING THE gifts of the Spirit.
Still, too many Believers are in the dark concerning their spiritual inheritance from Christ. They are unaware of the spiritual gifts, the strengthening they render, and how to attain it all.
God Bless you.
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Dear Sister Renaya, the word "tongues" in Act 2:4 is the Greek word "glossa". 16 times it is mentioned in the Bible it is referring to a literal, human, tongue, once in Acts "cloven tongue like as of fire", and 33 times meaning lanuage.
Acts 2:4, "...they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues", was not something being said by someone, which could not be understood and needed to have it interpreted, but the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to be able to speak all the lanuages of those who had come to hear them speak, so they could understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Even in 1 Cornithians 14:18, where Paul says he speaks in "tongues", he is meaning a different lanuage, a dialectic.
Careful examination of the scripture will show that there are only a few places which speaks about "speaking in tongues", and what this means in relations to christain development.
You gave Azusa Street, as another example of what took place in Jerusalem, on the Day of Pentecost, Azusa Street was a movement, not a doctrine of the Bible, and out of Azusa Street, came the Charismatic movement the church of God in Christ, and The Assembly of God, all who believe, that in order to be filled with the spirit of God, you must also speak in "tongues" as proof that one has the spirit.
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I used to be very disappointed when you weren't present at a service. But I quickly matured in understanding that you're too GREAT to have those selfish emotions about. I understand that others must have multiple opportunities to experience His Greatness manifesting from You! This blog brings new meaning for me to the scripture Isaiah 55:6 {Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. }
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