Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

The Amplified Bible reads in 1 Peter 1:13, So brace up your minds; be sober (circumspect, morally alert); set your hope wholly and unchangeably on the grace (divine favor) that is coming to you when Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is revealed. When we get news about an impending storm, we brace ourselves. We tighten up things that are loose and shelter things that are exposed. This life presents many types of storms against our minds. So bracing up our minds makes as much sense as preparing for any storm. NKJV reads 1 Peter 1:13, Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. The revelation of Jesus is not only His second return. The revelation of Jesus is how you see Him in your heart and mind before you see Him with your eyes. There is a condition called Aphantasia Aphantasia is a very rare phenomenon in which people are unable to visualize. Imagine that it is a warm summer day and you are sitting at a beach or on the side of a swimming pool. Can you see that? People with aphantasia cannot visualize. This is a condition out of the control of people who have it. But I would like to suggest that we can and must cultivate the ability to see Jesus of God's better purposes in all of our circumstances. According to our text, bracing up your minds involves being sober, which means serious minded and morally alert. You also set your hope and expectations on the grace and divine favor of God. Your biggest challenge is keeping your mind stayed on Him. This is part of what we call the masterpiece mindset. You can do this, so do it! Amen!

“Pray at all times—on every occasion, in every season—in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).” Ephesians 6:18 Amplified (Also read Timothy 2:1-4) The Apostle Paul exhorted the Ephesians believers to pray with “all prayers" or "all manner of prayer." Prayer is certainly not a technical issue, so we don't have to fret about how we pray, so long as we are earnestly praying to God. That said, it is helpful to examine and practice all types prayers so that we may be more focused and motivated to pray. The scriptures show various types of prayers. Below is brief overview of common types of prayer. 1. Prayer of supplication. 1 Kings 8: 37-40, 54 - 55, Luke 11: 9 - 13, James 5: 17-18 Supplication is a specific request. Theses three scriptures show people were seeking (or asked to seek) for something specific. When you know what is needed, you can offer a prayer of supplication. 2. Prayer of intercession. Genesis 18: 22-33 (Abraham) 1 Kings 18: 41-46 (Elijah) 2 Kings 4: 32-36 (Elisha) Acts 12:1-18 (The early church) To intercede means to plead or mediate on behalf of another person. Jesus intercedes for us (Hebrews 7: 25). The Holy Spirit prays for us and through us as we pray in the Spirit (Romans 8: 26 - 27). When we pray earnestly for other people, we enter into the realm of intercession, in which we present people and their needs to God. There is also a dimension to intercession where we "stand in the gap" for people for special blessing or protection. (Eze. 22:30) 3. Prayer of faith. Mark 11:12-14, Mark 11:20-25, Luke 7: 1-10, James 5:13-18, Matthew 9:18-26 The prayer of faith is a supernaturally confident type of prayer, that is absent of doubt. The woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9) knew that touching Jesus would get her healed. Her faith gave her the strength to press through the crowd. Strong faith and boldness accompany the prayer of faith. This manner of faith releases special blessings and miracles. 4. Prayer of agreement. Genesis 11:1-9, Matthew 18: 19-20, Exodus 17: 8-13, Psalm 133: 1-3, Acts 4:23, Hebrews 10: 24-25 The prayer of agreement occurs when two or a few people come together (the fewer the better), in agreement with one another and with the Word of God on something God wants to do. The prayer of agreement is connected the authority of God has vested in His church. Prayers of agreement can multiply the effects of God blessings beyond what one can do by oneself. 5. Prayer of praise, worship and thanksgiving. Psalm 100, Acts 16:16-34, Psalm 149:4-9 Praise, worship and thanksgiving can be a form a prayer that brings us into the presence of God. When we praise and thank God, we are affirming our faith in Him. This pleases God and helps our faith. Praise and thanksgiving disarm two of the most deadly enemies to our Christian walk, doubt and fear. No wonder the scriptures call praise a two edged sword (Psalm 149: 4-9) 6. Prayer of Dedication. 1 Kings 8:62-64, Mark 14:36, Acts 7:59, 9:6, 13:3, 14:23 The prayer of dedication is used to consecrate or dedicate someone or something to God. In the Old Testament, priests, altars, and tabernacles were dedicated by prayer. In the New Testament, Jesus and others dedicated (or ordained) disciples, apostles, elders deacons to the work of God.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, July 7, 2024 The Good Fight of Faith DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses Everything Is Filtered Through Your Mind Walking by Faith is not a mental exercise, but our minds play a role in our faith walk. In particular, we have to wrestle with our own thinking, imaginations, and reasonings as a relates to the Word of God. What is Faith? Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Moffatt’s Translation: Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.” New English Bible “Faith gives substance to our hopes

1 Tim. 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses 2 Cor. 2:14, Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the fragrance of his knowledge by us in every place. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Sometimes you want to win because of who is watching. That is the value of living in the light and letting people see your good works. We don't fight the good fight of faith to win. We fight the good fight because we have already won. That's why is a GOOD fight! Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith

"Your Assignment to Guide Others” – Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute #124 for June 26, 2024

Does Prayer Change Things? by Dr. Jerry M. Williams, Agape Word Fellowship, Raleigh, North Carolina https://www.agapeword.net/

Today is the Juneteenth holiday. It is something that began as a black cultural holiday in Texas, and grew to become a national African-American cultural holiday, and became a national holiday on June 17, 2021. A brief history of Juneteenth: News of the Emancipation Proclamation was delivered to Galveston, Texas, by Union General Gordon Granger. He arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, and issued General Order No. 3, an executive order by President Abraham Lincoln. Juneteenth celebrates the day when enslaved people in Texas were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that went into effect on January 1, 1863. This was also the beginning of what we call “watch night,” during which enslaved people were waiting and praying for the start of the new year 1863 which would signal the beginning of their freedom. Slave owners were not willing to release enslaved people because they were profiting off of their free labor. General order 3 was ignored and enslaved people were not informed, so the Union Army was dispatched to Texas to enforce the proclamation. It is difficult for us today to imagine the relief of mind to have the curse and brutality of slavery lifted. The executive order needed the force of congressional action to enshrine that freedom into the constitution. This came with the adoption of the 13th amendment to the United States Constitution. We should not underestimate the positive effect of that action on our African-American ancestors and for generations to follow. To this day, we should look upon that occasion as a lifting of a burden leading to a certain level of peace of mind. Many of the spiritual blessings we receive come from actions taken in world systems and our personal lives. For example, becoming debt-free brings great relief and peace of mind. Getting our children through school and college is another example of peace of mind. Things that we pray for God to do, are sometimes manifested in our circumstances. For a more complete understanding of Juneteenth and the history that preceded it, read this outstanding article by Dr. Jemar Tisby about the history of Juneteenth.

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NASB), Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. NT Greek word for “act like men” means, “To be courageous, make a man of, or make brave, to show oneself a man, be brave” How Do Men/Fathers Act? You can only answer that question from two perspectives:

Listen to My Message From Sunday, June 9, 2024 Next Level Thinking DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES Special Edition of Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute: Talk #122 DAY #12: Be A Next Level Thinker 1 Cor. 2:14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For "Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ represents grace to share in the thoughts, plans and motives of God. Paul identifies two kinds of people. Locate yourself: There is the person who is pneumatikos. Pneuma is the word for Spirit. The person who is pneumatikos is sensitive to the Spirit and whose life is guided by the Spirit. Pneuma is that which makes a man different from the rest of creation. In 1 Cor. 2:14 Paul speaks of the man who is psuchikos. He lives as if there was nothing beyond physical life and there were no needs other than material needs, whose values are all physical and material. A man like that cannot understand spiritual things. This is why the work of renewing the mind is so essential. We cannot have the mind of Christ apart from renewing our mind. Jesus' Disciples only search their minds for the answer Peter went into next level thinking Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter had the Mind of Christ 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES Mark 12:30, And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. 31"And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.” What does it means to love God with all your mind? The sense of this text is that Jesus is talking about loving God with your entire being. But it is interesting that he said we love God with our soul AND mind. Isn’t the mind part of the soul? Yes. But this word “mind” used here specifically speaks to thinking. The NT Greek word is: διάνοια (dianoia) The mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring, understanding “A thinking over,” a way of thinking and feeling; thoughts, either good or bad Jesus will take you into Next Level Thinking if you want to go

Get Your Copy of the Book: “Winning the Battle for Your Mind” SUBSCRIBE to the Firm Foundation blog to receive weekly insight and encouragement to your email in box Visit and save this link to enjoy other Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute Talks. Send a gift to Bryan Hudson: https://cash.app/$BryanIndy Donate to New Covenant Church: https://cash.app/$newcovenantindy

Special Edition of Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute: Talk #121 Day #5 Firm Foundation Devotional Lesson: 1 Peter 1:13 (NKJV), Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (New International Version) Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. We find our minds in various states: We can be serious or silly. We can be insightful or shallow. We can feel overwhelmed or empowered. Life is a mixture of experiences. What people sometimes underestimate is their capacity to summon mental focus when needed. The ability to do that is necessary is often called “personal power.” There are times when we need to lean into focus and bring skills forward. The term “gird up loins” means two things: 1) It is procreative power. Humans have the ability to bring children into the world. 2) It is suggestive of the alertness necessary for sobriety and for setting one's hope. (Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) The word “sober" means serious minded. For tasks that involve fulfilling some purpose of God, we need to place our faith in the hope of God's promises. We come to a place of alertness and readiness through prayer. This is my experience in preparing posts for this devotional. During the writing of this post, I made a mistake and lost about half of what was written during a time of God's inspiration. After letting my mind go to a place of disgust with myself for making such a “amateur” mistake, I summoned the focus to rewrite. God's inspiration did not leave when the mistake was made! So, I had to “gird up the loins” of my mind, and get back to work! Use your personal power (the ability to do what is necessary) with the help of the Holy Spirit. Tap the wells of “living water” (the power of the Holy Spirit) within. Summon your creative energy through God's grace. Jesus made all of this available to us when He brought “Grace and Truth.” (John 1:17) REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. What does it mean to “gird the loins of your mind?" 2. What does it look like when you summon your focus and tap the wells of Living Water? 3. Using these insights, in what areas do you need to use personal power to get something done? ACTION ITEMS (What I will do with what I have learned): ------------------------------------ Get Your Copy of the Book: “Winning the Battle for Your Mind” SUBSCRIBE to the Firm Foundation blog to receive weekly insight and encouragement to your email in box Visit and save this link to enjoy other Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute Talks.

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Who Am I? Having God’s perspective on your life is most important. Society and popular culture what to fashion you into its image. God says, “I created you in My image [Imago Dei] and likeness.” (Gen. 1:27) You Are God’s Masterpiece! A masterpiece is anyone’s best work. A masterpiece does not happen by accident. It is not the result of something random. A masterpiece is the result of an inspired plan. You Are God’s Best Work! Your birth was the first miracle Your re-birth is the greatest miracle “….He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Eph. 2:10 NLT)

SPECIAL EDITION - Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute June 21-Day Devotional Introduction, "Renewing the Mind." INTRODUCTION & DAY 1 (June 1) - The Spirit of the Mind Today’s Reading: Chapter One of “Winning the Battle for Your Mind” And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2) “Be renewed in the spirit of your mind...” (Ephesians 4:23) For this devotional, we make a difference between “renewing the mind” and mental health. I am a mental health advocate, along with many others. It is important to recognize that the brain is a physical organ that can experience conditions like other parts of our body. Because the brain controls our body and is the center of thoughts, emotions, and sensations such as pain, it is obviously a very complex organ. Certainly, God is a source of strength for all aspects of life. He has also provided medical and human resources to assist with physical challenges we face, including the brain. The word “mind” carries a lot of meaning and significance. One of the worst things we can do is take a simplistic approach as it relates to the mind and the human brain. The purpose of this devotional is to help participants appreciate the grace of God to help us understand the positive power of renewal for what Paul called. “the spirit of your mind.” The “spirit” of your mind relates to ones attitude, disposition, or spiritual perspective. Many of the best answers in life come from gaining both spiritual and natural understanding leading to applying principles that improve one’s life. For example, we know the importance of handling finances well by using principles such as having a budget, keeping track of spending, and making good choices with our money. Those are natural things that we do. However, there’s also a spiritual side to handling finances. We can be affected by things such as covetousness, greediness, stinginess, and addictions to unhealthy patterns as it relates to money. 1 Timothy 6:10 reads; “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Here, the apostle Paul makes a spiritual reference related to something natural, such as money. Your mind/brain has both natural and spiritual dimensions. We will explore dynamics that relate to spiritual factors related to the mind. “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:23-24) So let’s go on this journey to allow the Lord to help us to become the best versions (“new man”) of ourselves! REFLECTION QUESTIONS: 1. In what ways do you need to become less conformed to the world and more transformed by the renewing of your mind. 2. As you experience renewing of your mind, what does a better version of yourself look like? ACTION ITEMS (What I will do with what I have gained) Get Your Copy of the Book: “Winning the Battle for Your Mind”

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. A masterpiece does not happen by accident. It is not the result of something random. A masterpiece is the result of an inspired plan. We usually relate a masterpiece to artwork or some other work of an artist, whether literary, or music or architecture. Basically, a masterpiece is anyone’s best work. Not “best” in relation to someone else’s work, but only in relation to your work and potential.

Listen to Mother's Day Message by Patricia Hudson, May 12, 2024 "To Mom, With Love." View 4K Aurora Video Visit Photo Gallery Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork. Day and today utters speech, and night under night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. This spring has featured wonders in nature. On April 8, there was a total solar eclipse by the moon, visible for 100-mile-wide band from Texas to Maine. On the evening of May 10th, going into the early morning of May 11th, was the Aurora Borealis, also called the Northern Lights. Unlike the solar eclipse, the Northern Lights could be seen by a large part of the northern hemisphere of planet Earth. What was unusual about the solar storm that created the aurora was that it was visible as far south as Mississippi and Florida. Usually, northern lights are confined to northern Canada and the Arctic Circle. As with the solar eclipse, we don't want to misread or spiritualize this natural event in nature. But what David wrote is true, "The heavens declare the glory of God." But for this event, the second part even rang more true, "The firmament shows his handiwork." From our perspective, the firmament is the sky and atmosphere surrounding the Earth. Sometime before the evening of May 10th, charged particles left the Sun and collided with the atoms and molecules of oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth's upper atmosphere. This collision of the Sun's energy with our atmosphere produced light displayed in glowing colors of red, magenta, green, purple, pink, and blue. As I wrote last month, we don't worship created things. We worship the Creator. And what a Creator we have! As I stood in a field outside the city, away from city lights, I could see these colors dancing in the sky like an IMAX movie, 1,000 times bigger. From the northeast to the northwest, from the horizon to above my head, I saw these colors changing, shimmering, and moving. Through photography and editing, I could enhance the colors, but what I saw with my eyes was amazing. In this blog post, I've included a link to my photographs and a video of the Northern Lights. My message to you today is: Just as there was God's creative light in the Northern Lights, there is light in everything God does in you and around you. That light is three things. 1. It is a reminder that what God does is bigger and better than anything men have done. 2. Just as the Sun's energy from 93 million miles away can set our atmosphere ablaze with color, God's power is beyond comprehension. As the Bible says, "Is there anything too hard for God?" 3. As John wrote, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God...and the word became flesh and dwelled among us." His name is Jesus Christ. "By Him, all things were made, and without Him, nothing was made that was made." You are a creation of your Creator. You are far more magnificent than a solar eclipse and the Aurora Borealis. Look for God's light and let your light shine. God bless, have a great day, and be encouraged!

DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES To Mom With Love BY Patricia Hudson, M.A.

2 Timothy 1:5, For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Listen to My Message From Sunday, April 28, 2024 STAND: Renewed Mind - Renewed Life DOWNLOAD KEYNOTE SLIDES Get Your Copy of "Wining The Battle for Your Mind." (Available in Print, Kindle, and Audible Audiobook (with Virtual Voice)