Pastor Brad’s Notebook

12 Dec

Posted at 12:32h in Devotionals
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"And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." Matthew 2:8  Well, there you have it. Sin never shows itself to be sin in the beginning. If it did so, we would naturally be repulsed and repelled. If sin were to come to a young man or woman and say, "I'm wicked and evil. I'm going to destroy your life. Follow me," surely no one would accept its invitation.

07 Dec

Posted at 10:30h in Devotionals
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"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3 God says that He has loved us "with an everlasting love" and it is because of that love, and with that love, that He has “drawn” us.  What does it mean to “draw” someone?  Well, as I understand it, “to draw” is the opposite of “to drive.” So, the truth that I take from this verse is this: “Because I love you, I do not force you.  I desire to win you by my love.” I believe that is true, because as Adrian Rogers often said, “Forced love is not love at all.”

05 Dec

Posted at 12:53h in Devotionals
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"Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession." Psalm 2:8  It was God Himself who spoke these words to the Messiah, prompting the Lord Jesus what to pray for. This simple verse suggests something very important then about the nature of all successful prayer - that it must first be prompted by the Father. You see, my prayer doesn't change His mind or cause Him to move. No, it is His mind that is to determine my prayer and direct my movement. That's why effective prayer isn't so much of a petition as it is a prophecy. My Father says to me, "Here is my will, ask for this."

02 Dec

Posted at 12:53h in Fridays Are For Family
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This past week the Whitt family spent a great deal of time traveling together as we celebrated Thanksgiving with my wife's parents in Texas. It was a whirlwind trip, with several preaching opportunities and very little down time. Now, I'm always looking and thankful for any opportunity to preach, but I'm becoming even more grateful for any opportunity to be able to spend time with my two children without the normal demands of the average work week. While we were traveling together over the Thanksgiving weekend there were two moments that certainly grabbed my attention and heart as a daddy. The first was on our flight out to Texas. Jack and I were sitting beside each other, waiting for the plane to taxi on to the runway. When the plane started to speed up for the take off, Jack scooted over real close to me and grabbed my hand with both of his. He didn't look up at me or even say anything, but I knew immediately why he had done that. He did if for the same reason I used to grab my dad's hand when I was scared or unsure. He wanted the security that can really only come from a father's touch.