Excel Daddy | BradleyMB.com

Update from India

Brad — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:34:15 +0000

One of the ways we missions to unreached people groups is through Gospel for Asia. Founded by KP Yohannan, GFA trains and equips indigenous pastors to take the gospel to their own. This is one of the most effective and efficient methods of getting the message of Christ’s love to those who need it most. For $30 a month, you can help support a trained Asian pastor (and his family) fulfill the great commission. Two to three people will “share” in the monthly expenses (that means they live on about $1,100 a year – that’s less than a Western missionary could live on per month). Anyways, yesterday we got our quarterly report from the field office where our pastor serves. It was so exciting to read of the stories, healings and changed lives that have resulted from his work. One day we may be more personally involved with oversees missions, but for the cost of two movie tickets, five McDonald’s meals, or ten lattes a month, we can partner with those who are doing the work now. For more information on how you can partner too, check out www.1040windowblog.com.

Excel Daddy Meets Amazon Mom

Brad — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:28:00 +0000

I may be the Excel Daddy, but I’m now an Amazon Mom too. We needed to buy Joseph some (a lot) diapers and wipes and I wanted to see what alternatives we had to overpriced stores. Enter Amazon. Not only were the prices competitive to what I had found elsewhere, you can sa
ve 15% by setting up a automatic delivery service (no obligation), and an additional 15% by signing up for there free Mom (or dad, grandparent, caretaker). There is also other special deals available for members. I recommend this for anyone with the need for baby products and doesn’t want to s spend a ton of money to get them. Check it out at www.Amazon.com/mom.

P.s. You also get free 2 day shipping too!

Modern day Asherah

Brad — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 01:40:07 +0000

I’ve been reading Deuteronomy lately… such a powerful book that I feel has a tendency to be overlooked by Christians because it’s part of the Law (Pentateuch). Some think it doesn’t apply to us anymore. Here’s a verse that might be read with that mindset:

You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the LORD your God that you shall make. And you shall not set up a pillar, which the LORD your God hates. (16:21-22, ESV)

Quick bible trivia – the Asherah was a pagan goddess that was prevalent in the Old Testament time frame and was a major stumbling block to the Isrealites. Over and over again we read instances of God commanding His children from worshiping her or allowing it to mix into their religion. The alters were characterized by wooden poles, or carved trees, erected to symbolize the goddess. It is evident from the scriptures that when the Isralites occupied Canaan, they carried on the traditions of her worship.

However, in the Law this is what God commanded them:

But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. (7:5-6, ESV)

The Israelites were not just called physically out of the land of Egypt, they were mentally, emotionally, and spiritually called from the influence of the incumbent pagan beliefs. Not only that, but they were to destroy the very presence of any alter, idol, or pole.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting! In the first verse above, God instructs the Israelites to not plant any trees (or translated groves) near their alters to the Lord God. Why is this significant? As long as it wasn’t the real thing, wouldn’t it be ok? Conversely, God didn’t want there to be the semblance of anything pagan in the worship of His holiness. There was to be a clear distinction between the practices of the Cannanites and His children.

Furthermore, they were not to even set up a pillar that would represent God. This is also iterated in 4:15-24. When we think of idolatry, our first thought is worshiping pagan deities like they were God. However, what God commanded in this passage was to not, while worshiping the true God, set up a physical likeness of Him and mediate praise through it. He was to be completely worshiped in spirit and truth.

So, how does this apply to us? It’s actually quite simple. What are the things we are allowing to creep into our walk with God that carries the semblance of something He hates? Are we truly living a set apart (holy) lifestyle that are not stained by the world?

We may not be dealing with erecting wooden poles anymore, but the heart issues of compromise are still very much at play in the modern day church. Could an outsider look at us and see anything different from the way the world lives? Think about these areas..

What we wear
What we listen to
What we watch
What we read
What we say
What we give
What we tolerate
What we live for
What excites us

The failure of not living a truly set apart lifestyle could lead to…

Confusion by outsiders to our identity
Pollute the perception of Christianity
Lead to deeper compromises in our own life
Compromise our ministry
Lose opportunities to speak into other’s lives

So, what are your modern day Asherah poles?

The PEARL

Brad — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:47:20 +0000

This past weekend I had the privilege of being one of the assistant coaches for Honor Academy’s “PEARL” event (Physical, Emotional, and Relational Learning). This was my second time to facilitate the event (formally known as ESOAL), and I was so honored to serve the Florida team. They pushed themselves so much and worked remarkably together as a unit. I too have also participated in two ESOAL events (2007 and 2008) and cannot ascribe the amount of growth and learning I gained from it to anything else I’ve ever gone through. While I didn’t complete the entirety of my first year, the second time I participated I pushed myself to complete the whole event. The main goal of the PEARL is to be in an non-threatening environment that provides circumstances to develop character traits from. I was challenged to make the choice to be joyful, even when the circumstances were bleak. I learned how to push myself beyond what I thought I could handle in order to fully rely on the Lord’s strength. I realized that by supporting those around me and not focusing on myself, I was able to not fall into the pity-party traps that make it impossible to continue. I cultivated a lifestyle around the motto of “Go big or go home” … that is, go all the way as far as I can go, as long as I can go, not settling for compromise or half-attempts.

Now, fast forward two years. My life is completely different – I’m on full-time staff at Teen Mania, I’m married, and have a baby. Little by little, I’ve noticed some of those lessons have been slowly fading from my persona. During ESOAL, I learned to choose joy when being woken up and getting wet. However, I now need that very same character when I wake up every few hours with Joseph. I would sacrifice my own needs for the betterment of my team, but now, will I deny my self-motivated desires for the sake of my family? I used to wake up two hours before I had to leave for work and spend time in the Word. Now, I can’t seem to squeeze in 15 minutes a day.

All this to say, it was really refreshing to help lead the PEARL again. While I didn’t do anything close to what the interns under me were going through, I was reminded of some of the lessons I touched on earlier which I discovered while in their very same shoes. Now, am I all a sudden transformed to a better me? No. But, I’m seeing the direction I need to head in and continuing to take steps towards it. The hard part about life is that sometimes it’s just so daily.

You can read more about the PEARL here: http://www.honoracademy.com/pearl

You can watch videos from this year’s PEARL here: http://www.honoracademydirector.com

The Call of Men

Brad — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:21:11 +0000

This weekend we’re visiting my fabulous in-laws for labor day. It’s weird to think that two years ago Brittney and I spent the weekend together while being in a long distance relationship. Last year, we were engaged and would be married within a month. This year, we have a son. I wonder what will happen next year

On the ride down, we started listening to a sermon series by Paul Washer. For those who don’t know, Paul Washer is a truly anointed preacher who apologetically brings the word of God like few I’ve heard. The level of conviction he brings leaves you either hating him or taking what he said to heart – there really isn’t a middle ground. [If you want some good sermons I'd recommend by him, see the end of the post].

Anyways, back to this sermon. It is called The Godly Home. Part 1 specifically deals with the man’s impact on making a Godly home. It really challenged me to how I need to lead our family in order to set the atmosphere that cultivates an attitude that is honoring to God. This is hinged on how to lead your children to the Lord. Obviously, Joseph has some time, though we would pray it be early on in his life. Paul shares what he has done for his family and the principles that should be implemented in yours. Unfortunately, this kind of truth isn’t heard much within churches. So listen with an open heart and may you be challenged as I was.

The Godly Home, Part 1

Other Recommended Paul Washer sermons:

Excel Daddy

Brad — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:16:08 +0000

Why Excel Daddy? I could have come up with a more appropriate program, or even a better title for myself, but honestly it really just stuck when I was brainstorming names for my blog. Ever since I’ve known how to tap into its true functionality, Excel has been a part of my everyday affairs. From consuming a majority of my job, to constructing budgets, calculators, planners, macros, and even games… to the point of being known as the “spreadsheet guy.” My theory is if you can imagine it, Excel can manifest it.

Secondly, I have had the recent joy of becoming a father. Being a daddy to little Joseph has been one of the most amazing and awesome things I’ve ever experienced. Of course, this is only second to my relationship with my lovely bride, through which I have been endlessly blessed.

Excel is a program that can be used for the benefit of its creator. It must be designed, formulated, tested, instructed (through VBA), and finally released to achieve whatever purpose it has. I find a similarity to my role first as a child of God, and secondly as a husband and father. God has created us all to bring glory to Him and accomplish his purposes. For me that purpose is to be a Godly husband to Brittney and a father to Joseph. If I don’t accomplish anything else for the Kingdom during my life other than those two tasks, I will still be successful. Nothing is greater in God’s eyes. In order to “excel” (all pun intended) I have to keep God as the focus and His Word as the forefront of my life. At the end of the day, I am a just a program designed by God to accomplish His purpose and bring Him glory.

My hope is that this blog would be a tool to share some of the things I’m learning while striving to be an Excel[lent] Daddy[and husband]. Additionally, I want to explore what is going on in the world, politics, learnings from life, books, sermons, excel/computer tips, you name it

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you can be blessed from this work.

Soli Deo Gloria