Feel My Faith

Sermon of the Week: What is God Doing When My Plans Fall Apart?

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:18:07 +0000

Your plans failed. The dream died. A sweet season of life comes to an abrupt end.

Frustrating!

Confusing!

What is God doing?

Your frustration may not be because God isn't working, but because God is working in a way you didn't think He would.

Acts 8 offers perspective that our plans may change but God's purposes never fail.

What I Didn't Say: About the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:41:09 +0000

On Sunday I stated that I do not believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second act of grace but that it happens simultaneously with salvation. And while I didn’t have time to expound on this topic in my sermon, I have friends who are sincere followers of Christ who would disagree. You probably do as well.

So, let all good Baptists, Charismatics, Protestants, and Pentecostals pull up a chair. Let’s take a Monday and flesh it out.

What I Said on Sunday (In Review):

It is hard to establish the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a second act of grace based on the Book of Acts because the sequence is not Luke’s concern.

• Acts 2:38 – repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (water), and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

• Acts 8 – people respond to the gospel, are baptized, and later receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit when Peter and John lay hands on them.

• Acts 9 – Saul is saved. Ananias lays hands on him, Saul receives his sight and is filled with the Holy Spirit, and then he is baptized (water).

Luke’s concern is to establish that as the gospel spreads from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and into the uttermost part of the earth the same Holy Spirit that saved souls and established the church at Pentecost is at work in Jew and Gentile alike.

What I Didn’t Say on Sunday (In Resolution)

In the sermon I stated only that I don’t believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second act of grace based on later NT passages. Let’s resolve that thought.

• While Acts 19:1-6 isn’t technically “later” in the NT it speaks to an event much later in the Acts 1:8 progression of the gospel. And while the Ephesians had not yet received the Spirit, Paul’s question is telling. Why would you ask, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” if that hadn’t been occurring simultaneously on a more regular basis in other places? My take: While Luke isn't concerned with establishing a universal sequence in Acts, Paul's question suggests that receiving the Spirit was expected in connection with genuine faith in Christ.

• Ephesians 1:13-14 – The context of Acts 19 sheds light on what Paul says later to the Ephesians in his letter to them. If Acts 19 was the initial experience as the gospel moves into Ephesus and the Gentiles there are also confirmed as part of the church through Spirit baptism, then Ephesians 1:13-14 seems to describe what became the normative experience. “In him you also, WHEN you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation and believed in him, WERE sealed with the promised Holy Spirit . . .”

• 1 Corinthians 12:13 – “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body . . .” My argument here would come not just from what the later NT says, but what it doesn’t say. There is no language to suggest that some regenerate people have received Spirit baptism while others should continue to seek it. Ephesians 5:18 case in point. He tells the Ephesian Christians to “be filled with the Spirit” but never does the later NT command believers to be baptized by the Spirit as if this is a continuing concern.

• Other NT passages to consider (Romans 8:9, Galatians 3:27, Titus 3:5-6, 1 Peter 3:21, 1 John 3:24 and 4:13) but they seem to only further confirm the above arguments so I won’t belabor it.

What I Want to Chew With You on Monday (In Response)

On Sunday I said that when it comes to things like this that we should seek to state most simply what the Bible says most plainly. If I didn’t say it quite like that – that’s pretty good – so that’s what I meant to say :). So here it goes:

There is no New Testament version of a Christian who does not have the Holy Spirit.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Romans 8:9

So to the Baptists (of which I am one), Protestants, and the like:

• We have grown content with bestowing a false sense of salvation on the person who professes Christ, who has even prayed for salvation, who yet shows no fruits of repentance or any evidence that they have been baptized by the Holy Spirit.

• We cannot blame spiritual immaturity solely on a lack of discipleship. We can discuss ad nauseum what discipleship is and isn’t, but if the baby does not breathe and does not eat, the baby is not alive. Jesus said it clearly, “You must be born again.” Sometimes the problem isn’t the lack of disciple makers. Sometimes it is simply a lack of spiritual life.

• So we should not ask the spiritually immature who insists on sin if they prayed, if they were baptized, or if they have joined the church. We should ask them if they have been baptized with the Holy Spirit. Or ask the same question another way, “Is the Holy Spirit in you?” A local church membership roll is not the guarantee – the Spirit is (2 Cor 1:22, 2 Cor. 5:5, Eph. 1:13-14).

To the charismatics and Pentecostals:

• My sermon was based on Acts 8 which contains not only the Samaritans receiving the baptism of the Spirit but also the warning to Simon. I have many Pentecostal and charismatic friends who I love and who love Jesus. They see the Holy Spirit in everything – and I love that! And if you received the Holy Spirit later – after your salvation – and maybe even after water baptism – I can argue semantics (I would say you were already baptized by the Spirit but not filled) but I cannot argue your experience and I do not want to be a stumbling block to anyone’s faith. Rock on for Jesus my brothers and sisters! The Holy Spirit is sovereign. He can do what He wants to do (which I also said in the sermon).

• But I do see a Simon sort of abuse that takes place amongst people with strong personalities and giftings who insist on a sort of “giving” the Holy Spirit. It’s like they have a power you need to become a complete Christian. And I see in that “doctrine” room for that Simon-type magician manipulation of which Peter sternly rebukes. For those who are in this camp I would concur with Peter, “your heart is not right before God. “Repent, therefore of this wickedness of yours . . . “

I love where Acts begins, waiting on God in prayer and Pentecost. And at Pentecost, in the Spirit, Peter proclaims that we are living in the last days promised in Joel 2 in which God is pouring out His Spirit on all flesh (Acts 2:17a).

When it comes to the Holy Spirit:

- Let’s not dismiss Him.

- Let’s not manipulate Him.

- Let’s surrender to Him.

Versify - Scripture Memorization Tool

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 00:26:30 +0000

Memorizing Scripture is important but not easy. That is especially true if you’re not given to working on memorization – which is the case for most adults.

I have a daughter who was a theatre major. She did 2-3 shows a semester. She could memorize the script in a couple of weeks.

I prepare sermons and preach weekly. I do devotions daily. Memorizing Scripture . . . not easy for me.

What’s the difference? Why can she memorize a full-length script in a couple of weeks while I struggle with a few verses? Memorization is like muscle. You have to train it and if you don’t use it you’ll lose it.

So, I need a tool. Something to help me train. And I found it!

It’s an app called Versify. It is free to download and use. I did discover a donate option buried in my profile options. Versify has been such a helpful tool I donated to the developers. Our church has an app, so I understand the cost of even making something free available.

Our church is in a discipleship process called Foundations. Part of the process is memorizing 2 verses every five weeks. As far as my Bible memory muscle goes, I feel like the guy who’s going back to the gym after it’s been a while.

So, I train my brain on the various options the app offers for practice in memorizing verses. You simply enter the verses you want to memorize and set a goal for the timeframe of having them memorized. Then, as you open the app and review the verses you have various options to train your brain:

Read – reveals the verse or passage bit by bit. This helps you get the verse in your mind a phrase at a time.
Blank – this module gives you the options of Easy, Medium, or Hard. Easy gives you a large percentage of the words in the passage and you try to fill in what’s missing with multiple choice options. Medium gives you about half of the passage with blanks while Hard mode gives you all blanks. I use this module a lot.
There are two Beta modules – speak and listen. One reads to you while the other you speak to it.
Type and Test – allows you to free type the verse and Versify grades you on your accuracy of completion.

Versify is helping me memorize Scripture and hide God’s Word in my heart. I highly recommend it.

And no, I'm not being paid for this endorsement nor do I receive a free Bible or something of the sort for referrals. Just trying to point people to a tool that's been helpful to me.

Evangelical Mute

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:24:41 +0000

In an area with a sizeable homeless population, I first came upon a man waiting with a cardboard sign at the top of the interstate exit. I see men begging at this intersection so often that I no longer see them.

But the guy behind me saw him. He rolled down the window of his truck and the beggar came over. Sheepishly the beggar took some folded bills from the man’s hand and nodded in gratitude before sauntering back to his corner.

I saw that exchange and it made me wonder. Should I have given him some money? It’s not like I’ve never done so. I’ve given money, bought burgers, and even given a few guys who looked needy and lost a ride.

And then I remembered. I don’t have any cash. So, I had nothing to give.

About an hour later came a second opportunity. Pulling up to another intersection I saw a woman limping along the side of the road. She looked haggard. Disturbed. Her eyes fixed dead ahead as if the rest of the world didn’t exist. She sipped on one of those gigantic drinks you get from a fast-food restaurant.

I stared at her. She never looked at me.

It didn’t matter. I had nothing to give her.

I slowly rolled on.

Did she see me?

When a song gets stuck in your head they call it an earworm. What is it called when you replay your decisions over and over again? Because for the next 45 minutes of my drive I heard no songs despite the radio being on. All I could think about were my decisions.

I saw two people in need, but I had nothing to give so I just let them go.

In Acts 3 Peter and John encounter a beggar at one of the gates to the Temple. This man was at this gate daily. The man in the Bible is lame, but he’s like the man I saw at the corner and the woman limping along the road. It’s an area of town and they are always there.

But the Bible says of Peter and John that they directed their gaze at him (Acts 3:4). They saw him. And they spoke, “Look at us.”

“And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them (Acts 3:5).”

He saw them.

“And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.”

He’s the beggar sheepishly approaching the truck behind me.

But Peter and John are in the same situation as me. They have no change. No cash. No money.

“But Peter said, ‘I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you (Acts 3:6).’”

Then in the name of Jesus Peter commands the man to rise up and walk. Miraculously the beggar is healed.

Giving is complicated and the ugly side of benevolence is captured well in the book, When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert. Our church opened a mission point in one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in our community. I had our team read the book and discuss it as we considered how to be helpful, not hurtful in a place of overwhelming need.

You don’t have to read the book to know that helping can hurt. Our attitudes. Our methods. Having resources with no understanding of the mechanisms of poverty . . . often leads to help that hurts.

But I often use what’s complicated to justify my blindness to what’s simple.

I can see but I don’t look. If I turn the other way, do you still see me? Maybe that’s why the woman never glanced at me. She’s been ignored numerous times by guys like me . . . experts on giving . . . people with resources well-aware of the complications of charity.

Disturbing.

Even when I don’t have cash, I stay silent.

But why is it that when I don’t have anything to give, I also think I don’t have anything to say?

A pastor.

A preacher.

An evangelical mute.

So here’s what’s stuck in my head now. What if I had just pulled over and said something? Share the gospel. Share the Bible verse I read that morning. Ask how she’s doing?

I don’t know. She might have thought I was disturbed. She might have just kept limping along as if I were not there.

But what if I had shared Christ and like the man in Acts 3, she was healed. Whatever made her limp . . . whatever it was in her mind that made her look so hardened to the world around her . . . what if he had risen up to walk in the power of Jesus’ name?

I was short on cash but what about:

Attention?

Compassion?

Encouragement?

Conversation?

The Gospel?

What might it have done in her to know that someone was paying attention.

She doesn’t care about the books I read on poverty.

She doesn’t care about my experiences as a pastor with the complications of charity.

At least I don’t think she cares, but how would I know?

I have no idea what she cares about because I didn’t give her the one thing I had – a few moments – the hope of Christ – the gospel.

I wasn’t empty handed but I just drove away.

I can’t get that out of my mind.

Why I Could Not Continue Watching Netflix's Death of a Pastor's Wife

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 01:58:23 +0000

Did I watch the Netflix documentary Death of The Pastor’s Wife?

Yes. 2 of the 3 episodes, but I didn’t finish it. It made me angry and I turned it off.

Is the pastor a fraud? Absolutely. And while he made me angry that’s not why I turned it off.

Was it the victimization and manipulation of Mica Miller that made me mad?

It’s hard to watch. She’s a case study on how choosing sin will lead you into the lair of the thief who wants to steal, kill, and destroy. Her joy was stolen. Her marriage was murdered. Her life and the testimony of service she so longed for before the Lord was destroyed.

Seeing her destroyed grieved me. It angered me. But that’s not why I turned it off.

What made me so angry I could not continue was not just the death of the pastor’s wife but the death of ecclesiology. It was the willful ignorance of a Biblically illiterate congregation that pushed me over the edge. A congregation as culpable as their leader in the death of the pastor’s wife. They made me angry.

What is a Church?

What you are watching on Netflix is not the story of a church.

What is a church?

In his letter to Pastor Timothy, Paul makes a profound statement about the identity of the church. He says:

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 1 Timothy 3:14-15

In the documentary, JP Miller boasts that one of God’s blessings despite his trials is that Solid Rock was named Best of the Beach Church (Myrtle Beach, SC) for the 4th time.

Firstly, this “reader’s choice” award going to Solid Rock church shows the worth of an award given to a church by the world.

But secondly, Solid Rock should have been disqualified from winning the award because a church – it is not. The sheer disregard for Scriptural truth makes Solid Rock a cult at best, but hardly a Christian church.

The fact that a church “of the living God”, is a “pillar and buttress of the truth” the operative question asked of a congregation in the midst of scandal can’t be, “But what will this do to the reputation or momentum Solid Rock?” The question of a church in any given situation must be, what does the Bible say?

A church isn’t about the brand. The church is about the Bible.

When a congregation shelves the Bible for the sake of the brand it ceases to be a church and becomes a cult of personality.

Which brings me to my second point.

Who is qualified to be pastor?

The Bible states the qualities of a Pastor and/or Elder (both positions of which are mentioned in the docuseries) in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9.

A lady who is interviewed often in each episode mentions “red flags.” Excellent. Let’s raise some red flags, shall we?

Let’s keep 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 before us, compare them to JP’s actions and see if anything makes its way up the flag pole of discernment. I will acknowledge that there are various angles of interpretation on these passages, but even the broadest of interpretations should see red flags when:

1) The pastor’s marriage is floundering because he’s having an affair – red flag.

2) He divorces his wife due to having an affair – red flag.

3) He divorces his wife due to having an affair with a woman on staff, whose husband is also on staff – red flag.

4) He begins dating the woman with which he had the affair – red flag.

5) While openly dating the woman with whom he had the affair, his other girlfriend comes walking into choir practice – red flag.

6) He marries the woman with which he had the affair – red flag.

7) He calls an elder to go to the airport and pick up a girl he’s going to meet up with – red flag.

8) While his second marriage is failing, most of the congregation knows he’s having an affair with a recently widowed woman (to whom he’s now apparently married) – red flag.

The pole if full of flags yet he remains your pastor? – red flag!

The docuseries mentions numerous accounts of sexual misconduct, manipulation, and grooming – of which numerous people were admittedly aware.

There is NO WAY a “church” that has a Bible, reads it, and applies it allows a monster like JP Miller to continue exercising authority over them. It is mentioned in the documentary that the church was setup to shield the pastor – again – red flag!

Even if that is the case, the church building should have been empty but from the scenes I saw – it was full in pretty much every shot. HEY - congregation – the by-laws may have shielded JP and the “yes men” he called elders may have protected him – buy it’s your butt that’s still in the seat!

If JP wanted to remain pastor, he could stand in an empty building and preach to himself. Shame on the sheep who continued to attend the cult and feed the wolf! You are as culpable as the man you followed as pastor.

What is Forgiveness and Restoration?

After the first moral failure of JP, some of the people interviewed defended their decision to continue to follow JP as pastor as an exercise of forgiveness and restoration.

Whatever your understanding of forgiveness and restoration may be, Biblical forgiveness and restoration does not require you to restore a pastor who has used spiritual authority to destroy marriages, groom young women, cover up his sexual perversion, and mentally abuse his wife.

Grace is not an enabler.

You can forgive. But he has forfeited his Biblical authority and opportunity to lead.

Shame on you Solid Rock church cult. You used a perverted understanding forgiveness to enable an and empower an abuser.

The documentary is not just the death of the pastor’s wife. It is the death of Biblical congregational polity. It is a documentary about the death of a church.

Takeaways

Our takeaway from the documentary has to be better than a post on social media that says JP Miller is full of poop emojis. It has to be more than pastors are full of poop emojis.

Hey, the Bible warns you that there would be lots of pastor poop emojis. Don’t think that Netflix has uncovered a scandal that the Bible didn’t warn you about. Netflix is 2000 years too late on that.

See Matthew 7:15, Romans 16:17, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 2 Peter 2:1 and several others.

Our response needs to be Biblical discernment and congregational responsibility.

A “Best of the Best” award does not a church make.

A charismatic personality does not a pastor make.

Great music isn’t worship.

Open your Bible and read it. God’s Word will equip you to see past personalities and performances and see the wolves.

The Bible will help you discern deceit but it will also help you discover authenticity. The real thing does exist.

Pastors and elders worthy of honor who find the approval of God are out there (1 Tim. 5:17, 2 Tim. 2:15). They may not be the most captivating or have the biggest following, but they don’t plagiarize sermons, send inappropriate texts to women, groom staff wives, or level lawsuits. They just love their families, study the Word, and shepherd you as the flock of God.

The church of the living God that Paul describes to Timothy as the pillar and buttress of truth exists. In their local manifestations they may not win awards, have professional musicians, or offer the most quality Sunday experience . . . but the presence of God is in them. He is there.

At the end of the day, there are poop emoji pastors and poop emoji personality cults masquerading as churches. But unless you, the congregation, take responsibility to pick up a Bible and read it for yourself, poop emoji’s like JP Miller will become pastors and victimize people.

As long as you don’t read the Bible, cults masquerading as churches will create powerful toxic structures that shield influential personalities.

But most importantly, unless you pick up the Bible, read it, and do it . . . you’ll miss the real thing, the right thing, where the living God is at work and the beautiful buttress of Biblical truth rests upon a firm foundation.

Why Doesn't God Prevent My Problems?

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 19:26:42 +0000

You may be disillusioned to turn to faith and find that it causes a whole new set of problems. Faith can cause problems in your family or at work. There are inexplicable problems that sometimes can only be chalked up to spiritual warfare.

And then there's the church. You joined the church to get away from all the drama only to find yourself centerstage in a whole new scene.

Why doesn't God prevent the problems?

This message from Acts 5 will help you get perspective on why God doesn't prevent some of your problems.

Braves Win, Diggers and Grandsons

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 15:13:07 +0000

I had a great weekend. The Braves win. The fireworks remind me of my dad. Lil' E and I discuss "diggers" after breakfast.

Some people visit the cemetery, stand by the markers, and remember their loved ones. I don't. My dad died in 2017 and I've only been by his grave once.

It's not just my dad. I've been that way about all of my loved ones who have passed away. For whatever reason I don't feel the same connection with friends and family that others do in cemeteries.

Maybe it's because of all of the funerals I've done in 30 years of ministry. I don't know. But a cemetery seems more like a marker to me than a memory. A marker is like a card catalog in a library - it's just the record, not the book.

I had rather drive by Mamaw's house. There my mind is flooded with memories. The grave of Ernie Carver means very little to me, but seeing an El Camino on the road, passing through Huntsville, or listening to Dawes makes me remember one of my favorite uncles.

I know where Roy is buried. But I had rather catch a bass and remember that time he set the hook so hard that he pulled a fish out of the water that I can still hear it slap against the side of the boat. I can smell those cigarette/cigar things he smoked and I can hear him laugh.

The cemetery does nothing for me. It's just lifeless stones. Catching a bass or passing through Crossville, TN makes me laugh . . . and remember.

That's what going to the Braves game has become for me. I enjoy the game but I remember my dad. It was especially true this weekend as the Friday night fireworks show erupted post-game.

Dad loved to take a trip to Fulton County Stadium on July 4 to see the Braves and watch the fireworks. We would stay at either my aunt JoAnn's apartment or at the HoJo down the street from the stadium. Either way, they had a pool and that was cool!

This weekend was August something, not July 4. But apparently now with the Braves fireworks is a Friday game thing. But nevertheless, it made me smile and think about my dad.

By the way dad . . . the Braves are pretty good this year.

That night we stayed with my daughter and her husband. They live about 20 miles from the stadium. So that meant breakfast with them and Lil' E, my grandson, the next morning.

They took us to a great place. The food was really good. But the best part was the heavy equipment working out front to widen the highway. Lil' E was mesmerized.

"Beep, beep, truck," he would say as he watched with awe.

He has plenty of trucks in his playroom, but to see the real thing amazed him.

He loved watching the trucks. And I loved watching him. Amazing. I am in awe of God's gift of a grandson.

I don't want to be remembered with a marker. I had rather it be something you hear in a sermon. My grandson seeing "diggers" and trucks beside the road or a Braves win. I had rather fireworks make you smile or there be something like a passing El Camino or a song on the radio remind you of me; much like those things remind me of Uncle Ernie or Roy.

It was a great weekend.

Session 6 - I'll Just Do It Myself

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 19:58:00 +0000

People are complicated. People are frustrating. So men take on the mentality, "I'll just do it myself." While doing it yourself may make life more simple, it is an unrealistic expectation that will take a man to a place where the Bible says no man needs to be. Alone!

Discussion Guide

Session 5 - Unlucky or Invevitable

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:22:00 +0000

Some guys feel like the bad stuff only happens to them. They can't understand why they can't catch a break and they constantly battle defeating, defeating, and discouraging thoughts. Ecclesiastes 3 offers a redemptive perspective that you may not be as unlucky as some things in life are just inevitable. With the right perspective you can battle through the various seasons and enjoy life now. Discussion Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qfpA2swVWPVZCWgKDU-pfhOl7P5tc4tH/view?usp=sharing

Session 4 - Working for Nothing

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:09:00 +0000

A lot of men hate their jobs. Most men are dissatisfied with their work. But a redemptive change in perspective can help a man enjoy his life AND HIS WORK!

This content is part of a larger men's Bible curriculum: Ecclesiastes, Living on Empty designed to help a man deal with the unrealistic expectations that drain him and give him a redemptive perspective to enjoy life now.

Discussion Guide

Session 3 - Making Failure Fatal

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:06:00 +0000

It won't happen to me. I read the books. I went to the seminars. I sat in church. And it still fell apart. What did I do wrong? I hate my life. Many men have reached this rock bottom of despair when they think they did everything right and it all went wrong. What's the proper perspective on learning and applying wisdom to life? Wisdom will make life better but it won't make your life perfect.

Discussion Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IbCXJxiL30mmLg0_avuwEYK2qkY7cFVP/view

Session 2 - When More Isn't Enough

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:59:00 +0000

More pleasure, more power, more projects; most men think they need "more" to enjoy life. Solomon had it and did it but still ended up empty. Men, don't let your hobby become your mistress and lose your family.

This message is part 2 of a men's Bible Study curriculum on Ecclesiastes entitled Living On Empty.

Discussion Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xIXhEve1jD01YRinSeb9rGKGdcD7n2kO/view?usp=drive_link

Session 1 - Living on Empty

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:01:00 +0000

Unrealistic expectations will DRAIN YOU! Introducing a new series on the Book of Ecclesiastes entitled Living on Empty. This series will help a man gain perspective on the unrealistic expectations that leave him frustrated and weary with life and show him how to enjoy life now.

Session 1 challenges a man to have the humility to learn from another man's mistakes. Solomon had all the money a man wants. Solomon had all the power and experienced all the pleasure a man could ever desire. Yet at the end of it all, Solomon said he was empty. Why?

Listen in and learn from his mistakes.

Roundtable Discussion Guide

SESSION 4 - TAGGING OUT (Psalm 107)

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Teaching Manuscript (Rough Draft)

In tag team wrestling a wrestler has a partner standing on the apron. When a wrestler is worn down and about to be overcome by his opponent all he has to do is reach over and tag his partner’s hand for relief and rescue.

There have been some legendary tag teams like the Midnight Express, the Rock ‘n Roll Express, the Steiners, The Road Warriors/Legion of Doom, The Hart Foundation, and one of my favorites from way back, The British Bulldogs.

Psalm 107 is a unique Psalm that presents 4 men; each in a precarious situation. We have the wanderer, the prisoner, the sinner, and the sailor. In the midst of their battles they each reach a place where they realize that they can’t save themselves and so they cry out for God’s help. Each of the men find that God loves them, helps them and redeems them.

Psalm 107 is important because as men wrestle with life men also wrestle with wondering if God really loves them and will help them. Perhaps there has been a time of trial when a man reached out to God, wanting to tag out, get some relief, find rescue, and he feels that God did not answer. That sort of discouragement can certainly damage faith.

So let’s find out how we can tag out and get God’s help by reviewing the four situations. As we do so, see if you can discover a pattern. Also, place yourself beside each man. What are the similarities and differences in the situation when you tried to tag out, cry out to God, but didn’t get his help?

The Wanderers (vv. 4-9)

The wanderer wasted his life. As the Psalm describes him, he goes from place to place searching for satisfaction only for his soul to faint (v. 5) in the end. He tried his fill of all of it but only found it empty in the end.

The Psalm specifies only hunger and thirst. But these basic cravings represent all of the natural longings of a man’s body and soul. These encompass everything from a man’s desire for pleasure to his desire for provision. Men crave happiness and meaning. Every man desires a sense of destiny. That he is going to become someone significant, that his life will have purpose.

The problem is that men seek ways to satisfy these longings apart from the Lord. This leads a man to his various wasted places. Every man can identify some things he pursued thinking it would satisfy his soul only to find it empty and that he had wasted his life.

But the Psalm says in verse 6 that this man tagged out. He cried out to the Lord in his trouble and that the Lord delivered him from his trouble. But notice something about this Psalm. Though I am going to teach it in the singular so that you can personalize it. Notice that the Psalm is written in plural. Notice the use of the word SOME, THEY, and THEM.

There are lots of wonderers and all of them have found the same truth. That when they cried out to the Lord he delivered them from their distress.

How did he do it? “He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.”

In the next 3 cases we will see the power of God do some amazing things to change a situation. Sometimes men need that sort of intervention, but I think all men expect that sort of intervention. But oftentimes what a man needs is a new direction and a new destination. But the only way a man can be led is for him to commit to follow. In this case, to follow the Lord’s leading.

Once the wanderer followed the Lord’s leading, he came to a place where his soul was satisfied with only what the Lord could give (v. 9).

So let’s keep these observations in our mind and now travel on to the prisoner. Remember, notice the patterns. Put yourself alongside these men and in the end we will draw some conclusions.

The Prisoner (vv. 10-16)

The prisoner represents everyone who rebelled against God’s Word and found themselves in bondage. Verse 12 reflects a hard truth of life. There are some things that once you make the choice for them they will then begin to make the choice for you for a long, long time. The Bible teaches that not only does sin lead to death, but sin also leads to a life of bondage (Romans 6:16-19).

The prisoner finds that he is bound and cannot free himself and there is no one to help (v. 12). So in verse 13 he cries to the Lord in his trouble. He tags out. And God delivered him “them” from their distress.

Again, this is plural. There are many examples of God doing this. This is not an isolated testimony.

The Bible says that God “brought them out of darkness.” This is really important to point out. That verb in Hebrew is a hifil Imperfect. What does that mean? Hifil implies that the object of the verb is a participant in the action. So God is the cause. But the prisoner becomes a participant. It is imperfect, which means that the action is ongoing. If it were perfect that means the force was applied and the action is completed. But hifil imperfect means that God not only brought the prisoner from darkness, but that the prisoner continues to participate in what God is doing to bring him out of darkness.

Again, watch the patterns. Take mental notes.

The sinner (vv. 17-22)

The sinner represents our foolish decisions that bring painful consequences in our lives. This person may suffer physically, mentally, or financially. And he, like those before finds himself powerless to save himself (v. 18). So, here comes the 3rd repetition of tagging out. He cries to the Lord and the Lord delivered him from his distress.

This time the Lord sends out His Word. That is a powerful command that changes the situation. It shows the Lord’s authority. But it is also reflective of the power of God’s Word. God created the world with His Word. And God’s Word forms our world when we walk in it. The essence of foolishness is despising the Lord’s ways, His Word, His counsel.

And even though healing and deliverance are both contingent upon God’s power as God is the primary mover in the situation, the verbs there are both imperfect meaning that the healing and the deliverance are ongoing. It was not one instance or action, but it is the initiation of an ongoing state of healing and it is the initiation of the process of deliverance.

The sailor (vv. 23-32)

The sailor is a professional. He knows how to handle his vessel. But the Psalm says that God raised up a storm so fierce that “their courage melted away in their evil plight.” They staggered like drunken men until they found themselves at their wits end (v. 27).

You story may or may not have found common ground with the first three, the wanderer, the prisoner, or the sinner. Each of them made bad decisions and paid the price. But here’s an instance of the sailor and the storm in which he was doing everything right and everything went wrong.

Despite different paths the sailor finds himself at the same point of need as the prisoner, or the sinner, or the wanderer. He cannot save himself. So he cries to the Lord. He tags out. The Lord stills the storm. And then look at verse 30. Like the Lord led the wanderer, like he delivered the prisoner, and like he delivered the sinner, the Lord brought them to their desired haven.

By now, if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve become a Hebrew scholar. You guessed it! This is another imperfect. This one very similar to the one associated with the wanderer. There is a sense in which the Lord’s action isn’t completed, but his deliverance was only the beginning of his leading in the sailor’s life.

So now let’s pull some dangling threads together and find the patterns. In doing so it may help some men who wrestle with the idea that they prayed and God didn’t help.

Patterns:

1. The men could not save themselves. This is a consistent theme in Scripture with the gospel. We are all sinners and at some point we have to realize that we cannot save ourselves.

2. They all cried to the Lord. All four instances had the exact same stanza, “Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.” Romans 10:13 says that all who call upon the Lord will be saved.

3. The Lord loved them. All four instances also repeat this stanza, “Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man.” Some men simply don’t believe that God loves them. Psalm 107 is written to Israel in exile. As they are going through the trial they may struggle if God was still faithful and loving toward His people. The message of Psalm 107 is that He is . . . so cry out to Him.

4. In all four cases, the Lord responded to them. Again. Psalm 107 is written to the exile to encourage them to do as the 4 did in the Psalm and cry out to the Lord because He will respond.

5. In each case those who were delivered followed the Lord’s leading. This is where a lot of men fail in the tag out. What we want is for God to change the situation. Break open the bars of bondage. We want the Lord to give us satisfaction. We want the consequences of our foolishness to subside and for the storm to be stilled. And many men are looking for the possibilities of what God can do to change a situation as they are expressed in verses 33ff. But here’s my question if you’ve tried to tag out and call upon the Lord. Were you willing to follow the Lord’s leading? Did you just want relief in an instance or were you looking for His long term leading in your life? True deliverance isn’t an instance, it’s a leading, a direction that God takes you for the rest of your life as you follow Him.

6. And here’s that theme again we are finding in the Psalms – the idea of wrestling into worship. Each man does as verse 2 calls him to to, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” Each man thanks the Lord for his steadfast love and offers songs and sacrifices in celebration of what God has done. Each man has a testimony and he worships God.

Discussion Questions:

Which of the 4 men most resembles your story? Explain your answer.
- The wanderer - a man who wastes his life always searching but never satisfied.
- The prisoner - in bondage
- The sinner - suffering the consequences of sinful choices
- The sailor - I found myself in a storm and could not save myself
The wanderer (vv. 4-9)
- What are some pointless pursuits men can chase, seeking satisfaction, only to find out later that they have wasted their lives?
- Look at verse 9. How does the Lord satisfy longing souls? How have you found this to be true in your own life?
The prisoner (vv. 10-16)
- Verse 11 says that this man found himself in bondage because he rebelled against the words of God. How does the wisdom and counsel of God’s Word keep a man from bondage?
The sinner (vv. 17-22)
- How does God use suffering to get a man’s attention?
- Verse 15 is one of four instances that celebrate the love of God. All four of these men learned in crisis that God loves them. Why is it that when men suffer, they often don’t believe God loves them? How does the truth of God’s Word correct this mistaken belief?
The sailor (vv. 23-32)
- The sailor experiences a miracle and in response worships God. Salvation turns sinners, wonderers, prisoners, and sailors into worshipers. If this is true, why are many men in the church reluctant to worship God?

Session 8 - Wrestling for Forgiveness

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 13:56:00 +0000

Manuscript (Rough Draft)

In 2024 at UFC 302, Kevin Holland put his opponent, Michal Oleksiejczuk (O-lek-SHAY-chook) in an armbar. An armbar is a submission hold that applies devastating pressure on the bones in the arm and counter-pressure on the elbow. Oleksieujczuk refused to tap out. Realizing his opponent would not give up, Holland applied more pressure and Oleksieujczuk’s arm snapped . . . but still refused to tap out. Hearing the sound and seeing the broken arm limp, the referee stopped the fight to prevent further damage. Despite the condition of his arm, Oleksiejczuk maintains that his arm did not break and that he disagreed with the referee’s decision to stop the match.

If UFC 302 were a Psalm, it would be Psalm 32. Here is the confession of David who was caught in sin but refused to confess. He is being slowly destroyed mentally, spiritually, and physically. As we go through the Psalm he describes the pain of holding on to sin.

What’s interesting is that modern medical science has found correlation between health and conscience. The Mayo Clinic and John’s Hopkins, both leading edge research hospitals, have published articles on the detrimental effects of a guilty conscience, unforgiveness, and even the refusal of one to forgive oneself. Research shows that people with prolongued guilty conscience suffer:

• Increased stress levels (raising cortisol levels in the body)

• Anger and bitterness

• Increased cholesterol levels

• Heart disease

• Reduced immune response

• The effects become more exponential as we age.

Basically this means that based on Psalm 32, it took medical science 3000 years to catch up on the damaging effects of sin on mind, body, and soul.

Psalm 32 is David in an arm bar. He had an affair with a woman. She’s pregnant. David had the husband killed and tried to cover it up. And though no one else knows what David did, it’s killing him. The more he refuses to confess and surrender, the more intense the pain of holding on. But later in the Psalm comes the contrast of relief when David finally confesses.

So a question we can explore in this session that connects with our condition is how much of your lingering issues of anger, stress, lack of sleep, loss of contentment, lack of happiness, body aches, poor health, marriage issues . . . might be caused because you are in an armbar but refuse to confess and be forgiven?

The Heaviness of Unconfessed Sin:

• When I kept silent – this is the catalyst for the misery. This is his refusal to tap out and describes anything a man might do to hide his sin.

o When you make the decision to sin, sin will then start making the decisions for you, particularly when you try to hide it.

o When this happens a man begins developing secret places in his soul. The heaviness begins when his relationships become hypocritical hiding places.

 He is conflicted

 He is not himself

 He is living a lie

 He has no fellowship because he is afraid of being found out

• Your hand was heavy upon me

o For those who know the Lord, they are familiar with this heaviness. Conviction is crushing. No matter where you go, no matter what you do, no matter even what you read in the Bible, or no matter the topic of a sermon you only hear one thing.

o So preaching makes you miserable. You don’t want to be around your friends. You can be at the ballpark, at the lake, or sitting in a stadium with your team winning the game – but you can’t escape the misery.

• Summer heat – conviction becomes like summer heat, it drains you, wears you down and you can’t find relief.

• Sorrow – v10 he summarizes the experience as “many are the sorrows of the wicked.” Persistence in sin and a lack of confession will effect everything else in a man’s life. You can’t compartmentalize it.

The Relief of Surrender

The Blessedness of Forgiveness:

• V. 5 – forgiveness begins with God – it is immediate. There are numerous places where the Bible reveals we have a forgiving God full of grace and mercy. We have forgiveness because of the finished work of Jesus Christ in atonement.

o Verse 2 – the blessing is two-fold

 The Lord does not count sin

 But the man is no longer living in deceit

• V. 6 – 7 – forgiveness with God releases guilt, but confession in a fallen creation often comes with consequences. David suffered some devastating effects of his sin on his family. But a man who has truly confessed his sin to God, finds that God will help him navigate the rough waters of consequence.

• V. 8 – he makes God’s Word his guide – like a navigator steering a ship through the fog with the instruments. He can’t trust what his eyes see, but he can trust the path the instruments lay out for him.

• V. 9 – The worst thing a man can do is return to stubbornness

• V. 10-11 There is sharp contrast in two paths – choose wisely!

Discussion Questions:

David’s story of covering up his sin is not uncommon in men. How does hidden sin effect men: Relationally? Mentally? Physically? Spiritually?
If sin brings such misery, why do men continue to sin and refuse to respond to conviction?
Scan through Psalm 32. Which verse or verses describe your personal experience? How so?
Verse 2 says that when a man confesses his sin that the Lord counts no iniquity against him.
- Biblically, why is this true?
- Mentally/Spiritually, why is this so difficult for men to believe?
Verse 2 says that a man is blessed, “in whose spirit there is no deceit.”
- Explain the meaning of this verse in your own words.
- What is the relief in a man’s life when he doesn’t live a lie?
Verses 6-7 refer to how a man who confesses may experience difficult consequences.
- How does the fear of consequences keep a man from confession?
- Scan verses 6-8 - make a list of the ways God helps a man through the consequences of confessed sin.
Verse 9-10 refers to the stubbornness and the sorrow of a man living with unconfessed sin. What is the breaking point when a stubborn man moves from the sorrow of verse 10 to the gladdness and joy of verses 11?
What are your takeaways from this session?

Session 7 - The B-I-B-L-E and a Man's Battle for Purity

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:03:00 +0000

Roundtable Questions:

Which statement best describes your relationship to the Bible (please explain your answer)

Disengaged - I have one but hardly ever read it.
Discouraged - I read it but don’t understand it.
Disturbed - I read it but I don’t like it.
Disciplined - I read it regularly.

BEST EFFORT - Verse 10 says that this man seeks God, through His Word, with his “whole heart.” What’s the difference in a wholehearted effort towards God’s Word and a half-hearted effort towards God’s Word?

What changes do you need to make so that you are wholehearted and bringing your BEST EFFORT to God’s Word?

INVESTIGATE - Read back through the passage. What are the various synonyms the writer uses for the Bible?

List 3 attitudes the author shares in his approach to the Word of God.
What did you notice as you reread the passage that you didn’t notice the first time through the passage?

BEST VERSE - what verse (or verses) speaks the most to you as a man as you read this passage? Why?
LISTEN/LEARN - rewrite or rephrase your best verse(s) in your own words.
EVALUATE - what will you change based on what you learned from the Word of God in this session?

What is a recent situation you would have handled differently had you known the truths from Scripture you learned in this session?

Rough Draft Teaching Manuscript:

10/8/2025

THE B-I-B-L-E and a Man's Battle for Purity

In the venue of professional wrestling there are various title belts for which competitors aspire. At last check there are 17 active championships in the WWE brand and depending on what week you ask there are 23 in the WWF.

So what are the title belts of the Christian life? To what goals do you aspire?

I would say that many men want happiness and prosperity from their Christian lives. Many men may not say it, but by their actions I think many men think that following Christ should exempt them from suffering. And they operate on the premise of a false theology that if they do enough for God and live well for God then they should be blessed and bypass suffering.

If those are your aspirations in following Christ; prosperity, happiness, and a life of relative ease then you will soon be disillusioned with Christ and Christianity.

In the Bible, the undisputed title of championship Christianity is as Paul described in Philippians and that is to know Christ and to attain the resurrection. The Bible speaks of the reward of pleasing God and receiving a well done, good and faithful servant. There is a reward for faithfulness in suffering. There is a reward for faithfulness in waiting. If we are thinking of rewards and goals in the Christian life as belts for which we should aspire, there are probably several we could mention.

But what about purity? But if purity were a championship belt. How many men are training to win and fighting a good fight against temptation?

I think many men might be giving up on this goal due to something that is implied in the opening question of the second stanza of Psalm 119. “How can a young man keep his way pure?”

The way the question is stated implies:

• Can a man keep his way pure? Is it even possible? It is perhaps the most difficult fight for any man.

• The addition of young man doesn’t exempt older men. I think it is a mistake to think that only young men experience great temptation. I consider myself to be an older man now and I can tell you that I understand the question now better than I ever have. The question is really asking how can a man keep his way pure given his wrestling with the temptations that began in him as a young man. It’s almost as if he’s saying, if this will work for a young man it will work for any man. He’s saying that if you will start this as a young man it will work for you as a man the rest of your life.

The answer comes in the second sentence. “By guarding it according to your word.” Notice he doesn’t say by God taking temptation away. It doesn’t say by greater will power. It says by guarding it according to the Word of God.

Gaurding is a term that implies constant readiness. It means that I am every applying what I am learning from the Word of God. I am doing what it says. As I do what it says, it purifies my life.

Purity in Psalm 119:9 isn’t perfection. It is:

• Removing the tarnish of sin past so I don’t repeat them

• Breaking the bondage of sin present so I am not controlled by them

• Avoiding the foolishness of sin by making me wise about God’s ways

And though we may not attain perfection in this life, it does not keep me from aiming at perfection.

And the way that happens is by a man guarding his way in the Word of God.

When it comes to the Bible, for many men the Word of God is like a house alarm they never arm. They pay the monthly subscription but somewhere along the way they got out of the habit of turning it on. The same is true of God’s Word. They have a Bible somewhere in the house – but God doesn’t call a man to have a Bible. He calls a man to aim for purity by guarding His way with the Word of God.

• God doesn’t call us to read the Bible – He calls on us to guard our way with the Word of God.

• God doesn’t challenge us to do a devotional - He calls on us to guard our way with the Word of God.

• God doesn’t even call men to study the Bible in the sense of becoming more knowledgeable about what it says – in fact, the Bible say that knowledge for the sake of knowledge will puff you up, make you proud – NO – God doesn’t call on us to learn the Bible – He calls on us to guard our way with the Word of God.

When it comes to winning championships, athletes have to have the right attitude and approach in their training, preparation and practice. If you are going for a title when it comes to purity, you need a championship attitude and approach daily in the Word of God. So in this session we are going to glean some principles from the passage about a man’s attitude toward the Word of God. If I am going to keep my way pure by guarding it according to God’s Word, what needs to be my daily attitude toward the Word -what’s the mindset?

And then, what is the approach? How do I get into it in such a way that it guards my way and helps me be a man who walks in purity before God?

And I want to make this easy by creating an acronym B-I-B-L-E.

B – BEST EFFORT (vv. 10-12) – The only way a man can walk in purity is for him to come to the Word of God with his best effort. This is described with the words, “with my whole heart I seek you.” This is important because he doesn’t want his life to wander off from the commandments. So if we are to have a life that doesn’t wander off – think of how we need to approach the Word so we don’t wander off. When it comes to God’s Word are you giving it your BEST TIME of the day? Do you protect that time or do you pick up the Bible if you have time? Are you making time? Are you just reading verses or are you giving your whole heart to what it says? Because notice verse 11. He stores up the Word in his heart so that he may not sin. He doesn’t just read some verses. He wants to master the content. He wants it to get down into his heart so that it impacts his life. Head knowledge isn’t enough. So, he brings a teachable spirit (v. 12). I’m not here to just do my devotion, I’m here to learn. I want to grow. I want to mature. I want to hear from God.

I – INVESTIGATE – in every stanza he has a different synonym for the word of God. So as he goes through the Bible notice that he’s gleaning and thinking about the statutes, all the rules, the way of God’s testimonies, precepts and ways. He’s not rushing through. The cardinal offense in most Christian’s approach to the Bible is that they read it too fast. They need to slow down and see all that’s there. Ask investigative questions. Circle words. Observe the text with who, what, why, when, where type questions. EMAW questions. Maybe 2 Tim 3:16 – method – reproof – what am I doing wrong – correction – how do I make it right, training – what repetitive action/decision do I make

B – BEST VERSE – EMAW cred. – In what you are reading, what is the best verse or verses? What are the ones that are speaking to you? Sit down on it. Maybe underline it or write it out. Here is where you are picking up on that desire to be taught, you are delighting in a verse. You are setting yourself up to mediate on it now. Maybe you memorize this verse – maybe one a week.

L-LISTEN/LEARN – notice he says in verse 13 that with his lips he declares all the rules of your mouth. You haven’t learned it until you can explain it. And maybe this is where you do a rewrite of a verse. Maybe you journal some stuff about it. But whatever you have to do to meditate on it – get quiet before God and let him speak to you about that verse.

E – EVALUATE – Verse 16 says that he won’t forget the Word. He doesn’t just read the verse of the day and go on about his day. He is intent to do something about what God says. Also, evaluate yourself based on the best verse and what it means. And either that evening or the next morning – evaluate the decisions of the day based on what you learned in God’s Word.

Conclusion:

God calls men to battle for purity. And the only way that happens is with an attitude and an approach that I want to win this battle. We must be on guard – always applying God’s Word.

Session 3 - Angry, Aggravated, Worn Down Man

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 20:22:00 +0000

How is your attitude? Are you angry, aggravated, worn down and burned up? Psalm 37 describes that feeling as "fret." Fret is about friction. And Psalm 37 warns that it leads to bad decisions. If you need relief, follow these 5 commands.

Discussion Questions:

Name something that frustrates you.
When you are frustrated are you:
- A groundhog - I’m going down in my hole, LEAVE ME ALONE!
- A dog - I’m going to bark (A LOT) but I probably won’t bite.
- A tiger - Corner me and I’m going to attack.
- A squirrel - I’m probably going to do something stupid like dart back out into the road and get ran over.
Verse 3 calls on a frustrated man to trust God and “befriend faithfulness.”
- What are some ways a man can fulfill this command when he is frustrated?
- When you are frustrated are you more prone to seek the Lord or to stray away? Explain your answer.
Verse 4 calls on a frustrated man to delight himself in the Lord.
- What was something that in the beginning was really frustrating to learn but now it is something you enjoy?
- What made the difference?
- Why do men seem to delight more in everything else BUT the Lord?
- If a man were to “delight himself in the Lord” what might be some changes he would make in his life?
Verse 7 calls for a frustrated man to “be still” before the Lord. Verse 8 commands him to refrain from anger. What are some ways a frustrated man can obey these commands before he does something sinful?
Look at verses 16-17.
- Explain the meaning in your own words.
- Do you believe this is true? Why or why not?
- How might this perspective help a man not to fret in frustration?
What are your takeaways from this session?

Reading for Next Session: Psalm 107

Wrestling into Worship is a men's curriculum based on selected Psalms from the Bible.

Does the Bible Say Sex is Bad?

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 02:15:00 +0000

You are burdened for your family and friends to know Christ. And you've invited them to church before but it wasn't effective. Why not?

Paul was effective in reaching the lost for Christ. 1 Corinthians 9 reveals his mentality and shows you how to win your friends and family to Christ.

SESSION 2 - BATTLING THROUGH MY MESS WITHOUT MAKING MORE MISTAKES (THE HOLINESS OF GOD)

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:28:00 +0000

There have been some infamous contests in sports history where an athlete crossed over into another sport. In 1994, NBA legend Michael Jordan played professional baseball with the AA Birmingham Barons. Jordan hit 3 home runs and stole 30 bases, but he couldn’t hit a curve ball. And with a meager .202 average the NBA’s greatest player couldn’t make it on a major league baseball roster. Jordan returned to basketball and went on to win 3 more championships and was named league MVP in 1996 and 1998.

Though fictitious, a crossover that grabbed my attention as a child occurred in the 1982 film Rocky III when Rocky took on a wrestler named Thunderlips (played by Hulk Hogan. Rocky was tossed, slammed, and eventually thrown out of the ring as Thunderlips went into a fit of rage, determined to embarrass the boxing champ.

Every man has his battles. And there will be times in which he finds himself fighting on multiple fronts. And in some situations, much like a crossover athlete, the battle can be unfamiliar.

Such is the situation in Psalm 18. David is a king and a commander. He is a ruler and a warrior. In verses 4-5 David describes his turmoil. He is about to get tossed over the top rope. He is wrestling for his life.

In verse 6 David cries out to the Lord for help. God heard David and answered him. God rescued David from “my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me (v. 17).”

Like David was a king and a warrior, men are dually employed. Men crossover in their roles as:

• Husbands and may find that they must fight for their marriage.

• Fathers and may find that he must battle for his children.

• Workers, employers, managers and may find that he must take a stand for God in the workplace as he is called to compromise his faith.

• Members of a church where a man may teach or lead. As such he constantly finds himself in spiritual battles, pushing back on the darkness in his community as he seeks to fulfill the Great Commission and to make disciples. He may find himself called within the church to stand for sound doctrine.

And a man may find himself in more than one of those battles at any given time.

And when a man is in the throes of battle, like David describes in verses 4-5, he may feel like he is in over his head. So, a question arises. Not only how he can have victory, but how can he avoid making mistakes, maybe even a moral failure, that make a bigger mess than the one he is already in?

This concern is at the heart of the celebration in Psalm 18. Not only has God given David victory (v. 17), but God has minimized David’s mistakes (v. 23).

In the midst of our battles, we want to know the right way to go, the right thing to do. So imagine, in every future fight you are going to face (18:31-39) that the Lord:

• Equips you (v. 32)

• Strengthens you (v. 32)

• Secures you (v. 33)

• Guides you (v. 34)

• Protects you (v. 35)

• Supports you and helps you stand (v. 35-36)

• Gives you victory (v. 37-39)

The way David secured a righteous victory was by following a Holy God in his battles. If a man follows the Lord, the way he fights and wins will reflect the character of the God he follows.

The Lord will help you win His way, the right way, in a way that reflects who God is.

God is holy. The holiness of God is explicitly mentioned throughout the Psalms. An example would be Psalm 99 where we are called in verses 3 and 5 to praise the Lord. Why? It goes on to repeat in both verses that we praise the Lord because, “Holy is he!”

What does it mean that God is holy and what are the implications of His holiness as he leads me through my battles:

1. The holiness of God means that God is unique. He is unlike any created thing. This means that God’s ways are not the world’s ways. Because of God’s holiness, His ways are not obvious. You can’t just do what you feel. You can’t just do what everyone else would do in the same situation.

2. The holiness of God means that God is morally pure. God leads His people to do things in wise, righteous ways. We cannot fight evil with evil. You can’t fix what’s wrong by doing wrong. When we follow the Lord we do not seek revenge, but righteousness.

And the Bible says that because God is holy, His desire is for you to be holy, even in our battles. This holy influence on David’s life is reflected in Psalms 17 and 18 as he celebrates how the Lord brought him to victory. We will glean some verses from the text and see how a holy God not only helps a man win in his battles but helps him win the right way.

Because God is holy:

• I will be careful about what I say (17:3)

The battle is a trial. Psalm 17:3 reveals that God is not only concerned about your circumstance but your character. God uses the battle to mold his man!

In 17:3 David says that God tested and tried David. But David, “Purposed that my mouth will not transgress.”

Think of how many battles where you, as a man, made a mess, not based on what you did, but based on what you said. You may be right in the decisions you are trying to lead your family, business, or church to make. But we all know that words can do a lot of damage.

You may be fighting for your marriage, but make sure you don’t wound your wife with your words.

You may see that your kids are straying off into danger. But make sure your words don’t drive them further away.

You may have the best idea for your business but forfeited your right to influence this situation based on foolish words said in the past.

A holy God tests us in our battles so be sure that what comes out of our mouth is pleasing to Him.

• I will hold myself to a standard so that God can righteously answer my prayers (17:6, 18:6).

Your moral life effects your prayer life. Often we need to ask God to clean up the man before we ask God to clean up the mess. David wanted to ask for God’s help, but David made sure that he was right with God.

Are you right with God?

The Bible makes it clear that if we regard iniquity in our heart, He will not hear (Psalm 66:18).

As a pastor I’ve met a lot of men who lived in sin but got serious about their faith when the bullets began to fly in their battle. So they prayed. But nothing happened. And many of those men got angry at God. Some even gave up on God.

The problem wasn’t that God didn’t care or didn’t exist. The problem wasn’t that prayer failed them. The problem was that they weren’t repentant. They wanted to persist in sin but get a holy God’s help.

James 4:1-4 teaches that if God cannot righteously answer our prayers, He won’t. God won’t become an enabler to your self-centeredness. His concern in answering prayer is His Holy glory! Pride is no motive for prayer. Because God is holy, sin and selfishness should have no place in prayer.

• I will get in God’s Word so I can know what pleases God (vv. 21-23).

When we are in the midst of the battle our emotions and opinions tend to take over. In verses 21-23 David made sure that his decisions were not based on what he felt or thought. David said that his concern was to keep the ways of the Lord. “All of his rules were before me.” And because David was concerned to obey God, “I was blameless before Him and I kept myself from guilt.”

When a man is in a situation where he feels like he is in over your head, he gets desperate. He starts swinging emotional, opinionated haymakers hoping to land a knockout blow and end the situation quickly. But a man would do well to deny his emotions and set aside his opinions and instead get in the Word and learn the ways of God.

God loves to give His people wisdom (James 1:5). A wise man doesn’t make decisions out of desperation but based on the revelation of a Holy God that is found in God’s Word, the Bible.

• I am careful that I let God’s Word shape my attitudes and my actions (vv. 25-28).

The old saying in computing is “junk in, junk out.” The same can be said for our souls. In verses 25-28 David was careful in the battle that his attitude reflected God’s attitude. If he wanted God’s mercy, David needed to be merciful. If David wanted to be saved, then he needed to be humble, not prideful.

Sometimes God doesn’t deal with the battle because He’s dealing with the man. Again, a holy God won’t bless sin. So, we must be careful in the midst of the battle that we keep a check on our attitudes and our actions so that they please God.

• My faith is increased (29-30).

Throughout the Psalm David gave testimony of how God worked in the battle to help him overcome his enemy.

If a man follows God in the battle he will not only come out with victory, but a testimony. He will be able to share stories of what God has done in his battles to show himself mighty and faithful.

In the midst of the battle David’s faith increased. Verse 29 doesn’t necessarily mean that God made David into an incredible athlete, a superman who could leap tall walls with a single bound. But David is expressing confident faith that as he followed God that there would not be a single thing that came against him that God did not have something for him.

And how does this sort of faith increase in a man? It isn’t in miraculous strength or mystical feelings. But notice verse 30. David’s faith increased as he realized who God was in his holiness:

i) This God – His way is perfect. His way is better than my way.

ii) The word of the Lord proves true. He has revealed to me the path that pleases Him.

iii) He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. I can trust and follow the Holy God in the midst of my battles.

Conclusion:

As a man you have various roles and there will be times in which you fight multiple battles. But when you pray and employ the help of the holy God, His ways become your ways. His righteousness becomes your concern. You minimize mistakes that are often made from emotion. Instead of harsh words doing damage out of desperation, you are careful to follow God’s Word and do things and say things that are pleasing to Him.

In his wrestling David learns to worship. He grabs on to a holy God and learns that His ways are right. His way is best. David praises the Lord for his help.

When a man grabs onto a holy God in his wrestlings, when he is overwhelmed, he will get the help of God but he will also walk away in worship. He will gain a testimony of God's holiness, faithfulness, and goodness that he can share with others.

When you are overwhelmed and the battle unfamiliar, cry out to God and He will help you.

Discussion Questions:

Michael Jordan tried baseball. Rocky wrestled Hulk Hogan (fictitiously) but it didn’t go well. What are some other crossover athletes or matches you can recall that didn’t end well?
What is a role in your life or a situation where you feel like you are in over your head?
- What are some mistakes you’ve made in difficult situations?
David turned to the Lord in the midst of his battle and he testifies in Psalm 18 that, the Lord “made my way blameless.” In each verse below explain how turning to a holy God in the midst of a battle:
- (v. 32a) equips a man and trains a man (v. 34) for what he is facing.
- (v. 32) strengthens a man through his battle.
- (v. 35) protects a man, lessens the blows and the damage.
Look at verses 37-39. Is there a man at the table who can share a story of how he turned to God in the midst of a battle and the Lord gave him victory?
When a man turns to a holy God he will win in ways that reflect God’s character. Turning to a holy God helps a man minimize the mistakes he is prone to make as he wrestles with the various issues of life. Read each of the following verses and explain how turning to God in our battles:
- Psalm 17:3 - makes a man more careful about what he says.
- Psalm 18:6 - makes a man more prayerful and intentional about what he asks the Lord to do.
- Psalm 18:21-23 - makes a man more diligent to be in the Word so he knows how to obey God.
- Psalm 18:25-28 - makes a man more humble in his battles.
- Psalm 18:29-30 - increases a man’s faith.
What are your takeaways from this session?

SESSION 1 - TAPPING OUT

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 18:32:00 +0000

This message is for a teaching series I am sharing at Liberty's The Man Church. The series will offer expository lessons from various passages in the Book of Psalms. Doubts about God. Questioning God. Anger at God. These raw emotions and responses to the trials of life are in every man and they are in the Psalms. Posted here are rough drafts of teaching notes as shared at Liberty Baptist Church, Chatsworth, GA.

TAP OUT – SURRENDERING TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

1. INTRO

In MMA fighting and wrestling one of the ways to win a match is to force your opponent into submission. Upon realizing he is powerless to resist, the defeated foe taps out to end the match. He is finished fighting and willfully submits.

One of the common storylines in Scripture is man’s sinful resistance to God’s will. Much of our wrestling with God is outright rebellion and our stubborn refusal to submit.

This storyline is reflected in Psalm 115. This Psalm is written at a time when Israel is flat on the mat, broken and busted. The people sinned against God and turned to idols. God’s countermove was to allow Israel to suffer the consequences of her decisions. The people looked to idols to prosper and protect them, but the false gods failed. Israel was invaded by an enemy, and the people were taken into exile.

Will Israel tap out? Will they repent of sin, return to God, and submit to His ways and His will. We hear this call for repentance and submission in Psalm 118:9, “O Israel, Trust in the Lord!”

Trust the Lord! Tap out! Submit!

In this session we are going to look at how we are ruined in rebellion through idolatry. We will then see the blessing of tapping out and learn why and how we should trust the sovereign God revealed in the Bible.

2. MAIN MESSAGE

A. Tapping out from idolatry (115:2-8)

i. Israel learned the hard way that idolatry always ends the same – it overpromises and under-delivers. When men turn away from God there will be some hard lessons learned.

1. Idols promise prosperity but always make you pay (115:4). Verse 4 describes the allure of the silver and gold of idols. It’s a common story. A man gets carried away in something that he thinks will make his life meaningful. Maybe he thinks it will make him rich. Perhaps he sees his power and influence increasing.

a. Men can be carried away in any number of things that fit this category: sports, work, hobby, social media, sex. All of these things have the glimmer of gold. They shimmer like silver. BUT WHEN THEY BECOME IDOLS THEY BECOME COSTLY.

b. Radio personality, author, and speaker Rick Burgess often says that “Football is a wonderful thing, but it is a horrible god.” There are many things of which we could say the same. Otherwise enjoyable, needful, even wonderful things can become horrible gods. Verse 4 describes them as the “work of human hands (115:4). Before long a man has invested himself, his time, and his effort into something he can’t sustain or he may find that he’s never satisfied. And then it begins to cost him:

i. Maybe his job

ii. Maybe his testimony

iii. Maybe his marriage

iv. Maybe his children

WE WANT OUR IDOLS TO PROSPER US BUT THEY WILL MAKE YOU PAY.

2. Men who give their life to idols lose their life to idols (115:5-7). Verses 5-7 describes a problem with idols. We want to find fulfillment in them, but they are only empty in the end.

a. Idols are parasitic. A parasite is a creature that attaches to a host and sucks the life out of it. Idols are parasitic in the sense that when we seek life in them, they suck the life out of us. Verses 5-7 mock the foolish lifelessness of idols, but the verse implicitly states the insanity of idols. Men want them to speak and respond. They want answers but get nothing.

b. They want to find life in them, but will eventually find them empty and lifeless. Israel has found her idols to be empty. And many men are like Israel in Psalm 115. They have nothing left. They gave themselves to something that turned out to be empty and meaningless.

3. Verse 8 states the ultimate tragedy of idolatry. “Those who make them become like them.” After it drains a man and he is emptied out the man figures out that all an idol is, is the worst version of himself. And it is here that a man learns that EMOTION IS A BAD THEOLOGIAN.

a. An idol may be made by a man’s hands, but it is first manufactured in a man’s mind.

b. And this is often the starting place where a man turns away from God. He THINKS he knows who God is. Instead of getting in God’s Word and finding out how God REVEALS who He is, the man allows his anger, disappointment, misguided aspirations, his pleasures, and his opinions to shape what he believes about God. And it doesn’t matter if an idol is on a shelf, in your hand, or in your mind . . . it’s a false God.

c. Many men turn to idols because they have trust issues. They can’t trust the Lord (v. 9) because they’ve never been able to trust anyone. They’ve been beaten, lied, to and mistreated. Maybe they had a father, mother, or a wife walk out on them. A man who has experienced these abuses and tragedies may fail to trust God either because he thinks God is like those who have let him down, or he may believe God is responsible for allowing those tragedies to take place. This anger can become idolatrous! TAP OUT and TRUST GOD!

d. The one true God has revealed Himself in His Creation and in His Word. No one manufactures Him. He is who is, no matter what a man thinks or feels. But this is where men make a tragic mistake and think that they can shape, control, or wrestle God. The wrestling begins in their mind with false beliefs about who God is.

B. B. Submit to the Sovereign God (115:1-2, 9-18) - As he did with Israel, God can bring a man into submission by allowing him to be overcome by the consequences of his misplaced trust . . .his idolatry. So, it’s time to tap out. It’s time to submit.

i. The concept of sovereignty is stated succinctly in Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in the heavens; HE DOES ALL HE PLEASES. When referring to God, sovereignty means that God has a plan. God will accomplish His plan. He is in control. He is undefeated and “undefeatable.” IF YOU WISH TO WRESTLE THE SOVEREIGN GOD, YOU WON’T WIN – You’re better off to TAP OUT and SUBMIT.

ii. Submission is painful but it will bring you to a pleasant place of worship because of who God is. If God were as awful as our idols, the truth of God’s sovereignty would be horrible. But the truth of God’s attributes as revealed in Scripture mean that God’s sovereignty is GOOD NEWS for every man! Surrendering to God’s sovereignty is good because:

1. God is loving (v. 1) – We cannot gauge God’s love based on what we think or feel. We gauge God’s love based on what the Bible says about God’s love and how He has demonstrated that love in the sacrifice of his son (Rom. 5:8). God’s love never fails. And His love is expressed in The Gospel. Repent of sin. Turn to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. RESPOND TO GOD’S LOVE BY TAPPING OUT AND SURRENDERING TO HIM.

2. God is faithful (v. 1) – God does not lie. He does not fail. He has a proven record of keeping His promises and doing what He says He will do. SO TRUST HIS FAITHFULNESS BY GETTING IN GOD’S WORD AND DISCOVEREING GOD’S PROMISES. TRUST HIS PROMISE.

3. God is powerful (v. 3). The essence of God’s sovereignty is His ability to do what He has determined to do. His plans never fail. SO YOU CAN:

a. FEAR THE LORD (V. 12-13) Verses 12-13 reflect something true of God’s people. God has determined to bless them. It’s part of His covenant with them. He does bless them. He will bless them. So fear the Lord. Tap out from idols and make Him the priority of your life. Part of what it means to fear the Lord is that God comes first. You respect Him and revere Him. When you make decisions, the fear of the Lord calls you to ask how your decision will be viewed by Him. I’ll do right because I want God’s blessings and I want to please Him.

b. ASK FOR GOD’S HELP (V. 14-15) Notice how these verses are expressed as a prayer or as a blessing. You can tap out and turn from idols, no longer going after glittery, empty things, but by asking God to give you His help and His favor. Tap out in prayer!

c. WORSHIP THE LORD IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE (V. 16-18) Because God is in control, the Psalmist ends by essentially saying, no matter what’s happening, I’ll worship God. No more idols for me – I tap out! This man has moved from wrestling into worship!

3. CONCLUSION

Let’s end with verses 9-11 which call for us to tap out and trust God. Notice that the text says that God is our help and our shield. A shield doesn’t stop the shot from being fired, but it does mitigate the damage.

Many men make a tragic mistake soon after they surrender. They start wrestling God again. How so?

They get into a trial and get angry again because somehow, they believed that once they surrendered there would be no more battles to face! WRONG. When you surrender to the Lord the battle with your flesh and the world has only just begun.

Surrendering to God doesn’t mean you are now exempt from the trial, it means now that you stay behind the shield. You get in his word, you get on your knees, you do what God says, and you seek His protection and help. Worship isn’t just singing songs in church – worship is obedience to trust God through a trial!

TAP OUT and STAY SURRENDERED TO GOD!

Discussion Questions:

Successful wrestlers often have notorious submission holds that cause their opponent to tap out. Name a few of the most famous ones (example: Ric Flair and the figure 4 leg lock).
If the issues of life were wrestlers (money, marriage, self-control, anger . . .) which are the ones who seem to always get you flat on the mat and won’t let go?
- What are some of the false idols men turn to in tough times?
As sovereign, God calls on men to trust Him.
- What are some trust issues in your past that make it difficult for you to trust God?
- Would someone at the table mind sharing a short story of a tough time that caused you to tap-out and turn to God?
Verse 1 says God is faithful and that He loves us with steadfast love. What are some of the other characteristics of God the Bible reveals that give us good reason to “tap out” and trust Him?
Verse 3 says that “God does all that he pleases.” That means that God has a plan and will accomplish His plan. As a man surrenders, trusts, and waits on God, what were some of the disciplines Brian discussed that men are called to do that are implied in verses 12-18?
- How are you doing with these disciplines of daily trusting God?
Verses 9-11 calls God our shield. The shield doesn’t stop the shot, but it does reduce the damage. Many men get angry at God because they think that if they trust Him that they won’t have trials. Why is this a false (unbiblical, idolatrous) expectation?
How does Ephesians 5:16 call for a man to posture himself in trials?
What are your takeaways from this session?

Leading Your Children to the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 21:14:00 +0000

As parents, there will be some intimidating conversations with your children. Sometimes they ask questions we just don't know how to answer.

As a pastor, I have found that parents are especially intimidated by having spiritual conversations with their children. So when it comes to those questions, people want to call the preacher.

And while I love talking to children about the Bible, you don't have to call the preacher. You can have these conversations with your kids. And when it comes to salvation, don't worry that you're going to mess it up.

In this message I share some practical insights about how to lead your children to the Lord. I address some common misconceptions and give you the tools and Scriptures you need to be an effective parent.

How to Build a Christian Home

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Tue, 20 May 2025 19:01:00 +0000

It is not uncommon to hear people say that they were raised in a Christian home. Were they? Were you?

What is a Christian home? How do we make sure that our philosophy of parenting, work, and marriage aren't just cultural concepts covered in Christian language?

This message takes a look at the household code of Colossians 3:17-4:1.

Teach Them Diligently, The Commands Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Tue, 06 May 2025 17:14:00 +0000

God commands us to love Him. But the nature of humans is to not only disobey a command, but to do the exact opposite. This is especially true of children. So isn't giving a child the command to love God one of the worst things you can do in raising godly children?

In this message I begin talking about the commandments in Exodus 20. Why did God give us commands? What do they reveal to us about the human condition? How do you teach them to your children?

Teach Them Diligently

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:29:00 +0000

I began a new sermon series this past Sunday entitled Teach Them Diligently. This series will focus on parenting principles from the Bible. The call of God for parenting is counter-cultural. It does not depend on the institution, the government, or even the tabernacle/church. God's blueprint for parenting prioritizes the home. Here's the message. I'll post more of them in the weeks ahead. Also, I am posting the audio on my FeelMyFaith podcast channels and the video on YouTube as well.

Why Did Jesus Die for Me? Redemption

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Branam) — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 22:35:00 +0000

When Jesus died for you He didn't pay the price for you to go to Heaven. He paid the price for you! Jesus redeemed you from sin.

In this message Brian explains what redemption means from Ephesians 1:7. He also uses an illustration to help us understand the power of two little words sprinkled throughout Paul's letters, "In Him" or "In Christ." What does it mean that we have redemption "in Him?"

Listen on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.