Brown's daily word 9-14-07

Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this Friday. Praise the Lord for the Sunday that is coming. One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 84. It is a Psalm of pilgrimage, about going on a journey. Every Jewish male was required to worship at the temple at least three times a year if at all possible (Deut. 16:16). For many families, it was the highlight of the year, to be able to go to Jerusalem and see the sights and sounds of the big city, to be able to enter into the temple and see the splendor of it. Many traveled great distances and endured hardship to be able to make it to Jerusalem. The way was sometimes discouraging, so they would sing and worship as they traveled. This psalm is believed to be one of the ones that they sung, to remind them, especially during the discouraging parts of the journey, of the glory of God’s house. This psalm is expressed with deep longing for the presence of God; to be in His house, to be in His courts, and to dwell in His presence is the object of this psalm. For many of them that traveled, it was like a homecoming. They would see family that they had not seen for a while, but still the highlight was to be in the temple of God, worshipping and praising Him.
As they traveled, outside of Jerusalem was a valley called the Valley of Baca. Most of pilgrims had to pass through this valley to make it to Jerusalem. When I read this, I am reminded of the story about the old country preacher, that was asked what his favorite part of the Bible was. He replied, “My favorite part is that one that says, “and it came to pass”. Someone told him that didn't make any sense, why not choose a passage like the 23rd Psalm, or the Golden rule. He replied, “Those verses are mighty good too, but I like “and it came to pass”. He was then asked what is so special about that verse. He said, “I know that whatever I go through, no manner how bad it is, that it too will come to pass, and I will make it through.”
While we must, from time to time, journey through dry, harsh places on our spiritual journey, it’s good to remember that those places are not our home.
We know that Satan is the thief; he comes to steal. Remember that you are on a pilgrimage, and Baca is not your home. God has designed you for something better. You are only passing through. If you continue on your journey, all that you are going through will soon pass away.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
10. Paul is saying that here our troubles, our valleys are only for a moment, especially when it is compared with the eternal weight of God’s glory. That is what the pilgrims needed to remember while traveling through the Valley of Baca. They need to focus on the glories of God’s temple, and the joy of being in His courts. Keep your eye on the prize.
11. When you are traveling through the Valley of Baca, remember those mountain top experiences, remember the joy of being in God’s presence. Remember what it is like to be above the storm clouds and bask in the sunshine of His presence. Remember the promises of God, the providence of God, the presence of God, and the power of God.
David said that they made a well, or dug a well while in the Valley of Baca to refresh themselves so they could continue on their way. Sometimes what we have to do, as we travel through the Valley of Baca, is to make the extra effort and dig down to find the refreshment that we need to make it through the Valley.
Notice what David said in verse 7, that they go from strength to strength. While we don’t like valleys, it is in the valley that our faith is exercised, and we grow in strength. They go from victory to victory, from might to might. Every difficulty overcome means a higher strength to overcome difficulties until, finally, every obstacle is overcome and they enter in before the presence of the King. Every one that dug deep, makes it to Zion, the holy city, to appear before the Lord. If we dig deep, God will give us the strength we need to make it through.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
May the Lord remind us that we are pilgrims and sojourners here on earth. We are resident aliens. May the Lord give us the heart of a pilgrim. If we lose the heart of pilgrims, we become frustrated and disappointed very quickly.
The Month of September is a special month in our household. I came to the USA on September 5,1974. Gerald Ford was the President. There was an energy crisis in the nation as the Gas prices rose the people began to pay $0.50 cents a gallon. There was a great threat of the Nuclear war. Nuclear Fallout shelters had been built. The Cold war was ever looming on the horizon. There were no cell phones, no Internet, no cable television. Color television was a rarity. The minimum wages went up to be $2.25 an hour. Janice, our oldest daughter, was born in Texas on September 13,1976. I will celebrate my 50-something birthday on September 17. The US Constitution was signed on the 17th of September. Sunita and Andy were married on the 1st of September.
Sunita and Andy are back in Washington, DC. They would be happy for you to check out their wedding photos at: http://proofs.AyerPhoto.com
The link is: Naik-Groth Wedding
The password is: Sun7Andy


In Christ alone,
Brown

Benefits and Drawbacks of Being Old Looking:

Kidnappers are not interested in you.

You get the senior discount without asking for it.

Used car salesmen give you a lifetime guarantee with your purchase.

Boy Scouts will help you across the street.

People who call you after 9 p.m. will ask, 'Did I wake you?'

Relatives tell you how good you look.

Younger friends will tell you secrets because they figure you'll never
remember them anyway.

At funerals, friends ask you how you are feeling.

Your kids will borrow money from you and hope that you'll forget they
borrowed it.

People no longer say, 'See you later.'


The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no-one dreams of questioning. And if the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt. It is a curious fact that historians have often been much readier to trust the New Testament than have many theologians.
F. F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? [1949], p. 15

Either the Bible will keep you away from sin, or sin will keep you away from the Bible I am convinced that a downgrading in priority of . . . prayer and biblical meditation is a major cause of weakness in many Christian communities. . . . Bible study demands pondering deeply on a short passage, like a cow chewing her cud. It is better to read a little and ponder a lot than to read a lot and ponder a little. Denis Parsons Burkitt (1911-1993)

it be a certain truth, that none can understand [the prophets' and apostles'] writings aright, without the same Spirit by which they were written.
The Journal of George Fox (1624-1691)