WEDNESDAY’S WORD – DEPENDENCE – Sadell Bradley – New Life Covenant Cincinnati 04/29/15

Sadell Bradley

Sadell Bradley

Dependence is the state of relying or being controlled by someone else with full trust or confidence; it is also reliance on someone for financial support.  Dependence is the disposition of a child to a parent. The more helpless a child is, the more dependent they are for care, protection, support and guidance.  Children are claimed on US taxes as ‘dependents’ because their parents are responsible for their well being while they are in the home.  As children grow, they experience more and more independence  or self-governance.  America declared it’s independence from England through a revolt, war and legislation. Christ followers must keep in mind that in the Kingdom of God, we as the Father’s children, make a declaration of DEPENDENCE on Him! He is the One on whom we rely, whose guidance controls our actions and in whom we trust for our financial support. God is after your dependence on Him!

Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches, Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 ESV We give mental assent to this fact, and express it glibly to others, but we don’t experience the reality of our dependence until the vulnerability and powerlessness of times like these befalls us with: riots, earthquakes, tornadoes, financial and political crises, health issues and other circumstances beyond our control


It is hard to admit that we would really prefer to handle things ourselves: to know all the answers, to be invincible, immortal and never vulnerable. We’d like to think that our much speaking, posting, protesting, or the security measures we take, and the money we have in the bank will preserve us from any trouble.  Deep down, we know we are ultimately dependent on God’s mercy, grace, sovereignty and timing, and that can be either really scary or really comforting.
In his time of crisis, Paul clung to his unreliability and his need for God. For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead.  (1 Corinthians 1:8-9) God is after our dependence on Him.

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ABOUT SADELL BRADLEY

ABOUT SADELL BRADLEY

Sadell Bradley, Pastor of The Warehouse Church OTR, is a dynamic teacher and worship leader, with over 30 years in ministry in various contexts including: as a conference speaker and trainer, music, worship and arts pastor, providing background vocals for various artists; as a campus missionary, and as a ministry development director.
Sadell’s main desire is to see people saved, healed, delivered and set free by the ministry of Jesus, the Word of God, and presence of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 4:18)

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