Don't Repair The Curtain
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Delivered By Pastor Brad Smith on 29th October 2023.The temple curtain separated the Holy Spirit from the people due to their sins. Only the high priest could enter, once a year, for the sins and ongoing blessings of the people. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ gave people the ability to access the holy spirit and its blessings, without the need for separation (the veil was torn in half).
The Day The Earth Stops
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Delivered By Pastor Brad Smith on 08th October 2023.In the 1860s, a 'dead line' within or around a prison. Prisoners would be shot for crossing the 'dead line'. However, the sense of a deadline that is most commonly found today ("a date or time before which something must be done") did not begin to see use until the early 20th century. A newer translation has come about in recent history where it has taken another meaning.We are all confronted with deadlines. Bills must be paid, licenses renewed, tax returns filed... the list goes on and on. Despite the different meanings, one deadline is of supreme importance. It is one we all face.
If It Can Be Destroyed By The Truth It Should Be!
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Delivered By Pastor Brad Smith on 10th September 2023.Part 1. Today, we live in an age of increasing madness where just about any stupidity can be called truth... and people believe them. Lack of integrity and tested truth are obvious to many, but how many dare challenge such foolishness? God already warned the West (the descendants of Abraham) that these troubles were coming.
Using Wisdom As God Intended
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
This article talks about the importance of using wisdom as God intended. The article explains that wisdom is a gift from the Spirit that helps us make good decisions and leads to stability, growth, and contentment. It emphasizes that seeking wisdom from God is far better than relying on luck or chance. The article also discusses how wisdom leads to spiritual wealth and reveals the root cause of sin, which is the love of money. It explains that financial discipline, such as giving through tithes and offerings, is essential to minimize sin and care for the church. The article highlights the value of effective leaders and the principle of storing treasures in heaven rather than on earth. It also mentions that faith is something we practice, not just agree with, and that seeking wisdom and exercising faith brings God's blessing. The article warns against being double-minded and trying to serve both God and worldly desires. It gives the example of Ananias and Saphira who lost their lives because they lacked wisdom and became greedy. It concludes by urging readers to seek wisdom, submit to God, resist the devil, and direct their priorities towards God's wisdom.
True Salvation Is Built On Signs
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
This article discusses how true salvation is built on signs, and how most major events in God's creation and plans for his people are identified with signs and wonders. It compares the beliefs of different religions such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and non-religious beliefs. It highlights that the true Christian church is the only one with historical claims of its founder being raised from the dead and offering signs and miracles as its basic tenet of faith. The article also mentions that God has always been a God of signs, and gives examples of signs in the Bible such as Moses' signs and the signs of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised signs to true believers, and the New Testament church is built on the words of Jesus Christ and the observable powers of the Holy Spirit. Signs can provoke hatred in false believers, and Paul taught that the true church would have miracles in all their meetings.
Freed From Condemnation
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Delivered By Pastor Brad Smith on 13th August 2023.The human race needs to know the facts about God's salvation and the positive effect that flows from it. The clarity and assurance of forgiveness needs to be the primary understanding for the church. The role of the priest has always been one of clear and precise intercession on behalf of the person they are dealing with. It was God's intention that people would confess, offer a sacrifice and leave the temple with a clear understanding of forgiveness. Too many times, the doctrinal or economic corruption of the priesthood left people uncertain about their spiritual status. We can help others avoid the same problem by having a clear understanding of how forgiveness and New Testament salvation works.
Nothing Changes Till Something Changes
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Delivered By Pastor Brad Smith on 16th July 2023.To get a change from your circumstances, something a lot more than being aware needs to happen. Prayer, fellowship, the gifts, witnessing, all need to occur by changing... they require steps of faith and momentum. Thoughts and desires need to be activated. Most people don't realise that every prayer to God revolves around him changing something... every answered prayer changes something... And that is the key to getting blessings.
Tell Us Something We Don't Know
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Delivered By Pastor Brad Smith on 12th July 2023. "Trivia" comes from a roman god of the same name, who was very fond of sprouting random and irrelevant facts. He was named Trivia because he was the god of the intersections of three roads, and that's where he would waylay travellers with his useless knowledge. Three roads, hence the name tri-via, Latin for three roads. Thus, trivia (or trivial) has now become the label used against facts or truths that are considered unimportant or unwanted. 'Tell us something we don't know' is a more recent form of sarcasm used to imply that the line of thought or truth is now out of fashion and not to be discussed... it is implied that it has been exhausted or settled and nothing more can be learned from it. Cancel culture is a much blunter way of silencing people who they don't want to hear (often labelled as hate speech). There are many more ways used by people who simply are not honest enough to face or debate rational facts. God has had to deal with these human deceits from the beginning of creation.
The Law Of Unintended Consequences
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Delivered By Pastor Brad Smith on 9th July 2023. The law of unintended consequences refers to the idea that actions of decisions can have unforeseen and unintended consequences, often in ways that are not immediately apparent. This can occur because complex systems often have multiple interconnected parts, and a change of one part of the system can have ripple effects that are difficult to predict. This is also true for those who reject a relationship with God.
Salvation Is A Gift, Not A Reward
By Pastor Brad Smith [Brisbane]
Delivered By Pastor Brad Smith on 2nd July 2023.The human race is able to enjoy all of God's natural and Spiritual creation without charge. Everything we see and love, every person we know and care about, are all created by God as a free demonstration of who he is and what he stands for. He is the giver of life and gifts. Nothing God gives us is able to be earned; it is all a free gift for his creation. Salvation is the greatest gift of God for humanity. It gives us the chance to move away from our human greed and failings and give us eternal life... all free of charge.