Commended to the Word: Equipping leaders for ministry impact … around the world
‘Read Spiritual Insight’ Archive (sorted alphabetically)
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He Who is Coming Will Come
Thursday, March 12th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “He Who is Coming Will Come”
How Faith and Suffering Work Together
God has been reminding us that He comes to visit our desert places—those places in our minds and hearts that have been blighted by evils done to us or by us. He promises to recover us from our memories, our entrapments, and our confusions. And when [...]- Available Formats:
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How to Judge a Prophecy
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “How to Judge a Prophecy”
1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
Just as the creation of the world began by God speaking “Light” into existence, so too, did the salvation of the world start with God’s Word becoming light in the very midst of darkness (see John 1:1-13). Time and time again we see the same pattern [...]- Available Formats:
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Importance of Forgiveness
Thursday, March 12th, 2009Forgive Us Our Debts
Excerpt from “Importance of Forgiveness”
Daniel A. Brown, PhD
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”Matthew 6:12
Introduction
Few principles in the Kingdom of God are more important than forgiveness—and few are more misunderstood. Forgiveness is the basis upon which you and I are able to relate to God. He has forgiven our sins against [...]- Available Formats:
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Introduction to Exodus: It Isn’t Up to You
Thursday, March 19th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Introduction to Exodus: It Isn’t Up to You”
Roughly 280 years have passed since Joseph’s death around 1805 B.C., at the end of GENESIS. The 70 descendants of Jacob (Israel), who went down into Egypt to escape the hardship of famine in their own land, have flourished and multiplied into an expatriate community nearly 2 million strong. Fearing what [...]- Available Formats:
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Israel has More than One Giant Killer
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Israel has More than One Giant Killer”
“But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.” Daniel 4:34
2 [...]- Available Formats:
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Jesus Has a Problem
Thursday, March 12th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Jesus Has a Problem”
Luke 4:42 – 5:39
It’s easy to spot ourselves in the Bible—and I don’t mean just at the end in Revelation, among the throng praising and worshipping Jesus before the throne. The Bible is a book about people just like us, at every stage of spiritual development, and in every messy situation [...]- Available Formats:
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Jesus’ Lesser Known Words
Thursday, March 12th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Jesus’ Lesser Known Words”
Matthew 10
In our sound-bite world of flashing images and instant access, it can be difficult to see the whole picture—to find unifying themes and understandings about life and our faith. Our attention keeps getting dragged away to prominent events (like the death of the Pope), poster-child questions (Should the feeding tube [...]- Available Formats:
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Kingdom Perspectives on the Financial Meltdown
Thursday, March 12th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Kingdom Perspectives on the Financial Meltdown”
The Heavenly Economy is as Strong as Ever
The current financial crisis has us all reeling! Even those whose jobs remain secure must deal with the effects caused by massive layoffs. Anyone with a stock portfolio experienced a 40% plunge in his or her wealth—the nest eggs scrambled. We’re all watching our [...]- Available Formats:
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More Than Good
Thursday, March 12th, 2009Matthew 5:13:48
Excerpt from “More Than Good”
by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Introduction:
This portion of “The Sermon on the Mount” is often parceled out and divided up into sections dealing with evangelism (“Let your light shine before men”), reconciliation (“If your brother has something against you”), divorce and “going the extra mile.” While we would learn incredible truths with such a segmented [...]- Available Formats:
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Moses the Bridegroom of Blood
Thursday, March 19th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Moses the Bridegroom of Blood”
Most of us have seen the movie “The Ten Commandments.” Like all Hollywood adaptations, it pays little attention to what really happened. Its fanciful plot inserts numerous characters and twists of events that are nowhere to be found in the Bible, and it leaves out many that are found there. [...]- Available Formats:
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Out from Under the Law
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009How Do Believers Relate to the Law?
Excerpt from “Out from Under the Law”
It surprises many people to discover that God issued only one commandment from the time He created Adam and Eve until the days when Moses led His people out of Egypt. That was a span of over 2500 years! He simply said, “From the tree of the knowledge of [...]- Available Formats:
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Patterns for Restoration
Thursday, March 12th, 2009An Introduction to Nehemiah
Excerpt from “Patterns for Restoration”
by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Lessons from Nehemiah
The Book of Nehemiah (“Nehemiah”= comfort, consolation from God) depicts the marvelous tale of a man who is moved upon with concern and compassion for the people of God. Hearing that Jerusalem still lies in ruins—in great distress and reproach—Nehemiah asks the King for permission and [...]- Available Formats:
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Power Behind Tithing and Giving
Thursday, March 12th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Power Behind Tithing and Giving”
One of the lessons we have to keep learning is that God’s ways and thoughts are not like ours. Our natural tendencies incline us to act and to think opposite from how God does. That’s why it’s helpful to be reminded again and again about basic patterns for successful life in [...]- Available Formats:
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Prophetic Foundations for Ministry Breakthrough
Thursday, March 19th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Prophetic Foundations for Ministry Breakthrough”
There is, of course, a world of difference between natural wisdom and spiritual truth. They relate to entirely different dimensions of reality, but sometimes folk knowledge and popular truisms echo spiritual principles—and make scriptural truth a bit easier for us to remember. For instance, we all know the saying, “Great gifts [...]- Available Formats:
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Pursuing a Ministry Mantle
Thursday, March 19th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Pursuing a Ministry Mantle”
Experiencing All That God Intends for You in Ministry
Like Jesus, you and I have been anointed to bring God’s life changing, life saving message to people—no matter how low or desperate their condition. The anointing abides. We do not have to go someplace to have it reapplied; neither [...]- Available Formats:
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Questions to Ask When the Dough is Low
Thursday, March 12th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Questions to Ask When the Dough is Low”
When we do not seem to have enough resource for our legitimate needs, is it always the case that we are being attacked by the devil, or that we have been disobedient with our money?
God’s instructions are livable. They address the real issues in our lives with guaranteed-to-work advice, [...]- Available Formats:
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Recognizing and Addressing a Spiritual Adversary
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Recognizing and Addressing a Spiritual Adversary”
The following is an edited transcription of a staff meeting where Daniel was alerted to a spiritual danger lurking in the staff.
The “Pasha” Spirit
Introduction:
We are at a tremendous turning point as a people and as a church; doors are being opened to us collectively, and as individuals, that cannot be stopped [...]- Available Formats:
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Signs, Wonders and Discipleship
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Signs, Wonders and Discipleship”
New Tools in Our Toolbox
In His sovereignty God teaches different people, different things at different times; no one learns everything, and no church will ever learn or function in everything there is to know in the Kingdom. Just as all believers do not have the spiritual ministry of an evangelist, [...]- Available Formats:
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Spotting the Wrong Leaders Before it is Too Late!
Monday, March 9th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Spotting the Wrong Leaders Before it is Too Late!”
I Timothy 1:3-4:14
Almost nothing is more crucial for church growth than good leaders. Good leaders, and I’m not necessarily referring to obvious, standout leader-types, encourage active participation by all the people in the church. Finding the right set of leaders for church has been an issue since the earliest days when [...]- Available Formats:
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Staying Unstuck from Sticky People
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Staying Unstuck from Sticky People”
Colossians 3:12-15
Conflict with fellow humans is almost inevitable in a fallen world. Certain individuals are more difficult to get along with than others. So do we just write some relationships off? What sort of advice does the Bible offer on how to navigate relationships with prickly people? Here are ten reminders [...]- Available Formats:
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Stepping Forward… Uncertainly
Thursday, March 12th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Stepping Forward… Uncertainly”
How Does God Lead Us Day by Day
Acts 15:36; 16:13
When we think about being led by God to go to a particular place, or to do some specific activity, we tend to imagine that 1) we will not be able to discern His leading—we won’t “get it”; or, 2) we [...]- Available Formats:
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Strange Fire, Sudden Death
Thursday, March 12th, 2009An Introduction to the Book of Leviticus
Excerpt from “Strange Fire, Sudden Death”
by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Following their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, the people of God traveled south on the eastern edge of the Gulf of Suez until they came to Mt. Sinai (Mt. Horeb). For two years they stayed encamped beneath its shadow, where 40 years earlier Moses had [...]- Available Formats:
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Stuff of Heroes
Thursday, March 12th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Stuff of Heroes”
History lessons bore most students—especially when teachers simply list long ago dates and names of far off places that have little relevance to today’s world. Who really cares when (or where) the Crimean War pitted an Anglo-French alliance against Tsarist forces, or why the famed “Charge of the Light Brigade” ended [...]- Available Formats:
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Take Aim with Your Life and Ministry
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Take Aim with Your Life and Ministry”
Spiritual/Strategic Focus Points for Success
In some religious circles people talk about a call on their life—a sense of mission and purpose, an assignment for how to direct and devote their energies. A typical call might be into medical missions work, pastoral ministry, etc. While I would never argue with anyone who [...]- Available Formats:
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The Problem with the Problem with Women in Ministry Leadership
Thursday, March 19th, 2009What Does the Bible Say About Women as Spiritual Leaders?
Excerpt from “The Problem with the Problem with Women in Ministry Leadership”
From the very outset of the creative order, when God shaped humankind in His image, He intentionally wrought male and female as complements to one another. He blessed both equally and bequeathed to them shared dominion over the earth. Knowing it was “not good” for man [...]- Available Formats:
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Thinking About Apostles
Sunday, March 21st, 2010The situation in the church-at-large has me thinking about many things, and among those issues I seem to keep encountering in my travels all over the world is the subject of apostles. It is a biblical term—though I think many people today use it in a way that doesn’t align well with the heart and [...]
Excerpt from “Thinking About Apostles”- Available Formats:
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Timely and True Spirituals
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Small BeginningsNot everything that looks/seems spiritual comes from the heart of God, and most of us need practical instruction to be able to distinguish between the truly spiritual, and those promptings that are pseudo-spiritual. Spiritual promptings, spiritual giftings that come from God are not the same as those that come from [...]
Excerpt from “Timely and True Spirituals”- Available Formats:
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Uncommon Cure
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009Spiritual Answers for Mental and Emotional Turmoil— Isaiah 61:1-3
Excerpt from “Uncommon Cure”
by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners…” ISAIAH 61:1
ANOINTED [...]- Available Formats:
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Understanding and Withstanding Depression
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Understanding and Withstanding Depression”
Depression is a huge subject—one that cannot be covered completely even in academic or medical volumes, much less in a brief lecture. Despite years of research and dozens of theories, the causes and effects of this mental/spiritual/emotional epidemic are neither clear nor easily singled out from all the other things of [...]- Available Formats:
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Wanting Ears to Hear
Thursday, March 19th, 2009by Daniel A. Brown, PhD
Excerpt from “Wanting Ears to Hear”
When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel! Now look after your own house, David!” So Israel departed to their [...]- Available Formats:
