Look at the Birds

(The following sermon notes with adaptation is based on what Bishop Dale Bronner had shared on 24 June 2017 at City Harvest Church.) 

"If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. 

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."  -- Matthew 6:25-34 (MSG)

God is for you. God is in you. God moves through you. Find supernatural help by knowing that God is with you. Don't lose you head over a piece of tail. A squirrel was crossing a rail track when its tail got ran over by a train. As it turned back to look, it lost its head, too. 

In Matthew 6:26, Jesus urges us to look at the birds. You don't have to be concerned with everything that is happening. God takes care of the birds. 

Photo: Pixabay

1. Birds don't stress. The same God who fed them yesterday will also feed them today. Every morning they break fast as they look forward to breakfast. They get food for their young. God has got their provisions under control. Stress is a call to prayer. You weren't design to do certain things on your own. Birds can fly but some choose to walk. They are not in a rush. 

2. Birds don't stress over time! Time is subjective. Time is slow when you are waiting. Time is very fast whenever you are late. Time is supposed to be consistent. 

Birds can only carry a little. Little begins the process. Are you paying attention to the lessons of nature? Consider the ants. The little ants are diligent. Be diligent in what you do.

Don't expect to possess the promise if you cannot embrace the process!

"Give me a clean heart to pursue the things of God."  A desire without discipline becomes a delusion.  There is a process involved; it happens and unfolds over time.

Whenever God has something installed for you to do there is distraction. The greatest enemy to your destiny is a clear path to a lesser goal. 

Everything happens in an atmosphere. When the atmosphere is conducive, a seed will germinate and sprout. A little prayer begins the process of prayer.

The greatest blessing comes from serving other people. Everybody, even a billionaire, still has a need to be met. If you can meet the need of others, it could open their hearts towards you to receive the Gospel or to bless you with their insights or expert advice. When you serve, God opens the door. 

Relationships account for 80% of our happiness. If relationships are what matters at the end of the day, shouldn’t it matter now? An African woman who has her own house and grow her own food supply was once asked, "What would you do with $50k? She replied, "I guess I would give the money to somebody who need it."

Wealth is measured by how little you need. Be rich in His Peace and contentment. Christianity is the only religion that replaces religion with relationships. Take care of your relationships with the people that matter. The church is a family of families. There is only one way to happiness. And that is to cease worrying about things that are beyond you. 

In Psalm 46:10, God reminds us to, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

When we put our cares in His hands He put his Peace on our heart. 

Take a leaf from the 72 Hour Rule. If it won't matter in 72 hours, it never did matter. If you won't feel the need to react in 72 hours, do not react at all. If someone hurt you, and hasn't checked on you in 72 hours, move on.

Go to the source not the symptoms. Our job is a resource. God is our Source. We suffer from destination syndrome. There is no finish line! Keep going. Birds never stop searching for food. 

Far be it from us to say "I have read the Bible" or "I have prayed" which sound like it is once and for all enough. Men ought always pray and not faint.

Circumstances don't determine your outlook. Manage your miracle! Whatever you pray and came about is a miracle. Now you have to manage the miracle. When you don't know how to manage the miracle, the solution is to simplify. 

Life is like a 4-act play. After the drama, the curtain closes for the setting of the next scene. Then comes the grand finale where every culminates. In every narrative God is writing an epic and would not leave Himself out. And we know that all things (good and bad) will "... work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28b; NKJV)

Every drama needs an antagonist ... this produces energy and makes you stronger on the inside as a believer as your faith is proven. There is glory in your story. The next chapter is a shift. The greater  the darkness the greater the glory. There is treasure hidden in darkness. Hidden for you and not from you.

The little begins the process. Birds are little but they have much to teach us. Look at the birds which are well taken of by God who is big enough to take care of us all. Let go, let God and let's get going to keep at doing our little things. Little becomes much over time and when placed in God's Hands.

Do not become weary in well doing. May God multiply the works of your hands!

Footnote from the writings of Charles F. Stanley:-

"What does living life to the fullest mean to you? Some may picture a lifelong dream being fulfilled. Others may think of a comfortable retirement, while many more envision what they can achieve if given enough time. But if you really want to start living life to the fullest, begin with Jesus. He is the fulfillment of all your dreams. In Him, you will find the things you need the most -- contentment, love, and friendship."

Men's Meeting with Bishop Dale Bronner on 23 June 2017

(The following are excerpts with adaptation from what Bishop Dale Bronner had shared during a Men's Meeting held at City Harvest Church on 23 June 2017.)

Mistakes. All of us have made mistakes in life. However, your past failings do not define you or make you a failure in life. Your past prepares you for the future. The power to define is the power to determine destiny. Add a positive "yet" to your confession. Don't just say: "I have not done what I ought to do", but say: "I have not done what I ought to do yet." "I am not a millionaire yet." You are not done yet.

Truth be told, you are empowered by where you have been been -- in the difficult situations and circumstances of, say, pains and struggles. Failure teaches much than success will. Your power is from where you have been. That’s where you find, inter alia, Grace, Strength and Sanctification.

Moses was at the back of the desert before he had his burning bush encounter with God, and before he confronted Pharaoh. The past prepares you for the meeting with God, and your transformation after the meeting in your being a doer of the Word of God will revolutionise your life.

God gives seed to the sower. Measure the success of your day by the seeds that you sow. Success is not measured by the size of your harvest. After all, one sows, one waters, another reaps, but it is God who gives the increase.

Each of us is a seed. Until we are in the right atmosphere, nothing will happen. When men pray passionately, watch out. When you read the Word of God you will find that the Bible is the only book when you open it, the Author is present.

You charge and change the atmosphere by your prayers. Your power is in your place of prayer, pain, addiction. God works through you by where and what you have been through. Every thing you have experienced have prepared you for this season. You know what to do or not to do again; you have learnt. God won't make you do right, but makes you wish you had done right.

When you have been with God, He turns your pain into power. Your past is your ammunition. Your ministry comes out of your past. God never give a gift which is not needed; you just have to find where it is needed. Go where the hunger or appetite is. The ravens (from which come the word "ravenous") are not known to wanna share their food. But God commanded them to feed His prophet Elijah. 

STAY HUNGRY. Fast in your pursuit for God. There are people who are starving for Jesus but are not hungry for Him. Thank God for your appetite for the things of God. Stay hungry. Sick people don't have appetite. You are in danger when you loose your hunger. Are my associates stimulating or suppressing my hunger? Men ought always to pray and not faint. We never had to ponder "Why should I go to the grocery store?" Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

STAY HUMBLE. Humus, of the earth. Be on your knees. When you are on your knees it stabilises you. It takes humility. When you are under stress, anxiety and frustration, this is the call to prayer, humility and dependency on God -- the Higher Power. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

STAY HONEST. You don't know who people are really like until you give them power. Power reveals the condition of the man’s heart. The Shunnamite woman provided a room for prophet Elisha's use and furnished it with a bed, a table, a chair and a lamp.

These are the essentials which every man needs. Bed - place to rest. You make different decisions when you are tired. Table - place to eat and nourish the soul. Chair - place to study. Lamp - illumination of the Holy Spirit.

Stay true to your calling, your real identity. Live according to what you were made for. Take care of your H.A.T. where H = Habits, A = Associations and T = Thoughts.

HABITS. You are what you perpetually do. Your habits prophesy your future. The secret of success is found in your daily routine.

ASSOCIATION. Taking a leaf from Jim Rohn, "You are the average of the five persons you are closest to." Is God amongst  your selected 5? Direction determines destiny. The enemy will try to frustrate (to deceive) you. Associations are like an elevator. The right associations will elevate you.

THOUGHTS. As a man thinks in his heart (spirit), so is he. I am a new creation made in the image of God. One God-thought can change your life forever..

Jabez (he who causes pain) may have been one who caused so much pain to his mother when she gave birth to him. Yet, Jabez was eventually considered more honourable than all his brothers. You cannot give birth without pain. Sin entices with quick relieve and initial enjoyment, but ultimately seeks to enslave and dominate. Pain is necessary. Jacob intervened and changed Rachel's second son's name to Benjamin (Son of the Right Hand); she had call him Ben-Oni (Son of my Sorrow) just before she breathed her last while giving birth to him.

Remember your strength in your pain. Your past prepares you. It does not define you. People can put a label on you. Jacob's name means supplanter, deceiver, con artist, or trickster. Jacob wrestled with God all night and would not let Him, even when God had touched and caused the socket of his hip to be out of joint, till He blessed him. God then changed Jacob's name to Israel which means Prince with God. Jacob walked with a limp thereafter as a reminder of what God had delivered him from.

Your weakness is an opportunity for your testimony to be shared. God's grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness. This is a sign of your turning point. Abracadabra is an Aramaic word for "I create why I speak." You shall eat the fruit of your lips. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Have a tenacity to pursue God's best for you. We are creators unlike the magicians who are merely illusionists even though they say, "Abracadabra!" "I create while I speak." 

Remember what Jesus said in Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV): "So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

Jabez got sick of hurting people. He asked God to bless him indeed. God does a great work in you before He can do a great work through you. "God, make me a blessing. Lord, bless me. Put your power in me; empower me to prosper." Blessing does not mean exemption from persecution. Joseph went to jail. You are not defined by where you are. Ask God to bless your desires (so that they are in alignment with what He desires of you).

As with Jabez, ask God to enlarge your territory. We are in a shift now. Pray that God's Hand of favour and protection be on you. Pray that God will keep you from the evil. 

Do something great in me, O God, so that I can have homegrown food to export. Do something great in me so that You can do something great through me.

About Bishop Dale C. Bronner

Bishop Bronner is the founder/senior pastor of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral, a thriving interdenominational ministry with more than 19,000 members. He is a much sought after conference speaker and leadership trainer, whose travels have taken him around the world. An accomplished author, Bishop Bronner's message reaches millions daily through his international multi-media broadcast.