Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for the wonder filled season of Advent and Christmas. Our God, who is Immortal and Invisible, becomes visible in Jesus. The Lord of Majesty and Eternity comes down to dwell among us, surrounded with things that are earthy and mundane. We all become like children, by the grace of the Lord, and somehow begin to be seized by a spirit of wonder and miracle.
My wife becomes radical about this Holy season that celebrates the birth of the Holy Child of Bethlehem. She decorates the parsonage and transforms it in to Christmas house with more than 20 Christmas trees including a 9 feet real tree. One of my rituals is to read the Christmas prophesies and listen to the Christmas carols from around the world. I am adding a new tradition of listening to the glorious Christmas music and carols via God Tube and You Tube. Praise the Lord for all His means of Grace. I also make time to read Charles Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol", published in 1843. It’s one of the best-loved stories of all time to be set at this time of year. We probably think we know the story back to front. After all, it’s been adapted into over 200 films, and is such a powerful tale that it’s credited with helping to define our contemporary understanding of Christmas.
A fresh look at this all-time classic reminds us that it’s far more than just a feel-good festive tale featuring a miserly old humbug with one of the oldest catchphrases in the world. In fact, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his tormenting spirits helps us to consider what things of life are of eternal value here in the 21st century. For that reason alone, if for no other, it’s worth a closer inspection.
Dickens set out to persuade his readers to summon the spirit of Christmas not just for a week in December, but also for all the year round. His message, sent from deep within the 19th Century, resonates with us today. It has a timeless, universal quality, like all the best works of art.
The book’s main character, of course, is the mean and intimidating Ebenezer Scrooge, who lives to make money and very little else. He certainly has no use for religion or sentimentality. One Christmas Eve, however, Scrooge receives a terrifying wake-up call. The spirit of his business partner, Jacob Marley, who died seven Christmas Eves previous and was a miser like Scrooge, comes to visit, bound and wrapped in terrible chains. Marley has been condemned to roam the face of the earth, tormented in death by the things he neglected to value in life.
He is desperate to give his old colleague a final chance to avoid the same fate. ‘My spirit never walked beyond our counting house,’ he warns Scrooge. ‘My spirit never roved beyond the narrow limits of our money changing hole...’ This, he makes clear, is Scrooge’s last opportunity to turn from his ignorant, selfish, insular ways. Marley’s spirit instructs Scrooge to wait for three more spirits, the spirits of Christmas past, present, and future. Reluctantly, Scrooge understands that this is for real, as he sees Marley float away to join a crowd of tormented souls who are wailing and moaning in the night sky.
On the stroke of one o’clock, the spirit of Christmas Past arrives, and draws back the curtain from around Scrooge’s bed to reveal his face. He takes him on an unforgettable trip down memory lane, on a visit to his own childhood. Scrooge is astonished to see old, familiar faces playing happily in the open air. As the spirit takes him into a schoolroom, however, they see a lonely little boy sitting by the fire, whose only companion is the book he is reading. Scrooge remembers his loneliness, and how he longed for the presence and warmth of friends. He recalls his past desires for the love and approval of his family, but then sees all the people who tried to reach out to him, who attempted to stop his slide into self-absorption and an increasing preoccupation with personal security.
He sees his former fiancée, Belle, who came a poor second to Scrooge’s passion for wealth. ‘A golden idol displaces me,’ she complains to him from the past. ‘All hopes have merged to a master passion; the thought of money engrosses you!’
Dickens explores, through Scrooge’s terrifying ordeal, the love of money compared with the value of relationships. Scrooge’s whole life has come to revolve around his counting house. His insatiable appetite consumes him for more. To him, Christmas has become nothing more than a ‘time for finding yourself a year older, and not an hour richer’.
Back in the 21st Century, we can fall into a similar trap, seeing money (and the things it can buy) as the answer to our problems, especially if our lives have not been that happy, like the young Ebenezer Scrooge’s. We perceive the ‘good life’ as being about an abundance of bigger, brighter and better things. If we start to feel guilty, we can excuse ourselves with the thought that we want our children to have the things we missed out on.
Jacob Marley’s ghostly visit is not just a wake up call for Scrooge. As we hear his words, we should make sure we haven’t lost out on the things that money can’t buy. We all need money, of course, but it’s possible to pay too high a price for it. It’s as if society has caught a cultural disease called ‘affluenza’. The symptoms include always wanting more, despite what we already have. And then there’s the insatiable desire for ‘success’ without experiencing contentment. Consistently, we choose our career over family, and we seem unwilling to settle for less than the best of everything.
If Scrooge has been shaken by the visit of the first spirit, then the second is no less disturbing. The Spirit of Christmas Present arrives to take Scrooge on a tour of the people he now knows. He finds himself standing in the home of his poor clerk, Bob Cratchit, where he feels the warmth of a large and friendly family who are making the best of what little they can afford on the tiny salary Scrooge pays. He experiences their anxiety over the fate of Tiny Tim, the Cratchit’s sick youngest child.
Scrooge is clearly shown the effects of his selfish nature, but the spirit helps him understand that even though he is utterly hard-hearted, others have not entirely given up on him. As they sit down to their feeble Christmas dinner, Bob Cratchit thinks to toast his boss, despite protests from his wife.
The Spirit of Christmas Present then shows Scrooge the harsh reality of life on the streets, together with the absolute determination of the families who live there to stay out of the prisons and workhouses, whatever the cost. Scrooge has never before seen the need to help anyone other than himself. He’s always believed that the poor ‘should go to the institutions provided - if they should rather die, let them die and reduce the surplus population’. But his heart is softening...
Then the Spirit reveals two hauntingly thin and deathly children from within his cloak. They are called IGNORANCE and WANT - two of the grim realities of Victorian life. The Spirit describes them as the ‘children of all who walk the earth unseen’. On their brow is written ‘DOOM’. But it is not the quivering, hollow children who are doomed. As Scrooge pleads for them to be removed from his sight, the Spirit explains that ‘doom spells the downfall of you and all those who deny their existence.’
Before you put someone in his or her place, you should put yourself in theirs. How much poverty do we allow ourselves to see? The Spirit responds, ‘They are hidden, but they live.’ Dickens holds a mirror not just to Scrooge’s face, but also to ours. How do we treat the poor, the weak and the vulnerable? Do we allow our lifestyles to shield us from the needs of the poor and downtrodden? After all, we are not on this earth to see through one another, but to see one another through.
Then comes the final spirit, the Spirit of Christmas Future, who has no face and does not speak. It merely points. Scrooge looks to where the spirit is leading him, and sees the Cratchit family again, worn down in their struggle against poverty, and now without Tiny Tim, who has died for lack of proper medical care. The Spirit takes Scrooge to visit the house of a man who has died in his sleep. A maid and a cleaner are dividing up his belongings before the undertaker arrives. Two associates out in the street are discussing whether it’s even necessary to hold a funeral service, since no one would bother to come.
’But who is this man?’ asks the miser. The spirit leads him to a grave, whose headstone bears the name ‘Ebenezer Scrooge’. It’s a chilling reminder that no one lives forever; that the journey of life is brief. As the Bible says, ‘our days on earth are as a shadow’ (1 Chronicles 29.15).
The spirit asks Scrooge to consider himself from God’s perspective: ‘It may be that in heaven’s sight you are more worthless and less fit to live than millions like this man’s child.’ What is more valuable in God’s eyes? This is it, the life-changing moment when Scrooge understands that it’s now or never. He asks whether it’s possible to mend his ways and so alter his life and destiny. Surely the Spirits wouldn’t be visiting him if not?
As Christmas morning dawns and he wakes once more, to the world, Scrooge realizes that he has been given a reprieve. He has another chance to be more human, just as Dickens believed we have all been given another chance, because of the birth of the hero of the greatest Christmas story, Jesus. Many of us will recognize the struggles of Ebenezer Scrooge in our own lives. Many of us have been hurt as we grew up. Many of us pass up the offer of friendship or kindness out of a fear of rejection. Scrooge was a man who lived in a prison of his own making, the doors shut and sealed with a bitterness, which he would not let go.
In fact, Dickens symbolizes the consequence of our selfish actions by the chain that traps Jacob Marley’s spirit and weighs it down. Marley tells Scrooge that he alone forged it in life: ‘I made it, link by link and yard by yard.’ His chains were forged with regrets, which he could not release, and hurts he would not forgive. And as he stands before Scrooge, he can see the even greater chains that bind his old colleague: ‘Would you know the weight and length of the coil you bear yourself?’ asks Marley. ‘It was full as heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. You have laboured on it since. It is a ponderous chain.’
The good news is that we can learn from the past, to change now so that we can create a better future. Just as the spirits of Christmas wanted Scrooge to change for good, so God knows us better than we know ourselves, and loves us enough to help us to change and make a difference. Christmas is the time and place where God draws back the curtain, so we can see his face. Jesus has come to free us, because we are bound by chains. In fact, because of Jesus, we can commemorate the past, consecrate the present and contemplate the future. Jesus came to give us a new outlook on life.
The good news is that we, like Scrooge, are still alive. It’s not too late: we can choose to change. Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. Whatever our past has been, we can have a better future. At the heart of ‘A Christmas Carol’ lies Scrooge’s transformation. From a selfish, greedy and bitter old man, we see him become a grateful, generous and compassionate figure. A man filled with deep regret sees his life transformed, to the point where Dickens concludes he became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew.’
Things do not change. We do. Scrooge learns his lesson, and experiences what amounts to a ‘conversion’. He responds by changing his ways and living out the lessons that he learnt on that Christmas Eve. He repents and changes his destiny.
Jesus, the Son of God, invites us to do the same. What better time than Christmas to receive forgiveness, renew our faith, release our fears and rebuild our friendships? Faith, after all, is made real in thought, word and deed.
In case you are still making a Christmas list, here are some timeless gifts that won’t cost you anything, except perhaps, a little pride. You could mend a quarrel, release a grudge, lessen your demands on others, apologize, forgive someone who has treated you wrongly, find a forgotten friend, write an overdue thank-you note, point out one thing you appreciate most about someone you live with or work with, dismiss suspicion, tell someone you love them, or give something away. You cannot do a kindness too soon, because you never know how soon it will be too late.
We talk about ‘the birth of new ideas’ and of hope being ‘born’ in the human heart. Why not let Jesus be born into your life, this Christmas time? It takes a conscious, personal decision to become a follower of Jesus, which begins by acknowledging that we all need Him - to forgive us for what we have done wrong, and to guide us into real life, the life He promised to give us ’to the full’.
In our consumer culture, Jesus isn’t just another pick-and-mix lifestyle guru; in fact, he claimed exclusively to be ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’. If we choose to follow him, then we also have to count the cost - of dedication, commitment, perseverance, selfless love and generosity. But the reward - a dynamic, living relationship with the dynamic, living God - is surely worth it. If you want to make this Christmas one to remember, then there’s no need to wait any longer. If you ask Jesus to forgive your past, and invite him to enter your Christmas present, then your life will be transformed - now, and for good.
Dickens sent a message to us in the form of an amazing story. God sends his message in the form of his Son, Jesus Christ, who lives today. In the words of the wonderful carol ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’, we can actually invite Jesus to be with us, like he was, all those years ago at the first Christmas:
’O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in, be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel!’
May God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith;
The warmth of Christmas, which is love;
The radiance of Christmas, which is purity;
The righteousness of Christmas, which is justice;
The belief in Christmas, which is truth;
The all of Christmas, which is Christ.
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, may God grant you all these things, not just at Christmas, but also throughout the New Year and all the years to come.
Thank you for the gifts that you have sent for the Children in the Children's Homes in Orissa, India. May the Lord, The Holy Child of Bethlehem grant you added blessings to you and to yours , because of your generosity.
In Christ,
Brown
"Pastor Brown ,Please keep my client ,Bethany in prayer.She is having surgury tomorrow to implant VNS to help prevent seizures .Today she was also diagnosed with "retts" which is a degenerative disease.Her family also needs prayer to help cope with this new devastating diagnosis.Thx ,Marilee"
"Good afternoon - and I mean GOOD afternoon!
I wanted to update all on Tim's surgery. I'll tell you what, folks, God is good and does above all that we can ask or think! As you know, Tim had a blown out disc at L3 L1. Instead of blowing out to the side as they usually do, his blew out to the back and the gel inside the disc was migrating down the canal. He was so bad he was reduced to walking with a cane and hardly able to do that! He was to have had a doctor appointment today; HOWEVER, he is instead home recuperating from surgery! The doctor, Dr. John Small, had a cancellation Tuesday, Tim went in and they scheduled him for immediate surgery yesterday morning. Today he came home with little more than pain in the surgery site. He will require two weeks of healing and recuperation time, but should be back to full health after that.
As regards the Florida Orthopedic Institute staff, including Dr. Small, and the staff at UCH Carrollwood, I can't give them marks high enough! It was by far one of the best healthcare experiences Tim or I have ever had. (I made sure to let them all know before we left.) My faith has been restored!!!"
" Late Night Thoughts On Ryan Kerr
So it is one of those nights where I just can't sleep and thought it would be good to update you. We went and got our Christmas tree last week . It was not the same as other years where we were able to cut it down, but we were grateful that Ryan was able to be with us for the event. Ryan continues to decline. He is sleeping more and there seems to be some fluid in his lungs. He sleeps in the chair in the family room at night as he is unable to lay comfortably in a bed. He is surrounded by our cats, one on his lap and one on the footstool at his feet. They have been wonderful companions for him throughout his illness. The uncertainty is getting to us all . One day, you think, wow, he is doing well and sure he will make it until Christmas, and the next day you wonder how many more hours you have together. What amazes me the most is that Ryan never complains.(Except for when we are out of ice cream) It was nice to have some visitors today to break up the day. He is not up for long visits, but seems to enjoy 15 to 30 minutes of company. I have certainly learned a lot from Ryan. It is to make the most of every minute, every day and every experience. I think he would tell all of us to go out and try something new, something you have always wanted to do. I know for me, I have committed to doing several things after the New Year. Ever since high school, I have wanted to play acoustic guitar so I am going to sign up for lessons. I am going to finally master PhotoShop(Ryan thinks I will never get it) and I will learn to use Ryan's new camera that he saved all of his money to buy this summer. I know he would also tell you to slow down this holiday season. Don't get wrapped up in all the consumerism. Doing something for someone else means more than spending hours at the mall finding that perfect gift. It struck me last night as we were having dinner how wonderful it was, not to rush through dinner but to savor every bit of the conversation. Granted, we do not have the demanding schedules that most of you have. Going to the grocery is as exciting as it gets around here. But at the end of the day what matters the most, is our family and friends.
So enough of my preaching, but these are things that Ryan and I have discussed and I felt important to pass on. I will let you know as things progress.
Cindy"
"We the Boyers can't begin to how much your prayers have meant Mom.
She is now at Ideal Living Center for rehab Room 242 Lily Wing"
Praise the Lord for the following:
Praise the Lord for Linda Ayer, the Lord has given her a speedy recovery and she thanks you for praying for her.
Alex and Mary are blessed with a newborn son, Andrew Craig. Happy grandparents are Alan and Bonnie Ewing.
Katherine and Chris are blessed with a daughter, Olivia Ryan. Happy grandparents are Doug and Elizabeth Kerr, great grandfather is Reid Barton.
Jim and Christian are blessed with a daughter, Jenna Rae. Happy grandparents are Howard and Emily Seymour.
Shawn and Becky are blessed with a daughter, Louisa Ileen. Happy grandparents are Dave and Linda Barton. Great grandfather is Reid Barton.
Pray for Mike and Shannan who are expecting their baby in the next few days.
Pray for Desiree and Jason, expecting their son before Christmas in Oklahoma.
Pray for the family of Geraldine Oakes, Gerald died yesterday. She was 88 yrs. old. She was a wonderful sister and faithful friend to Betty DuBois. The service will be held in Albany, NY tomorrow.
Happy birthday to our friend Sandy Jones. A faithful servant to Jesus.
A very early happy birthday to our daughter, Laureen. She shares her birthday with our dear friend Lauren Halverston, on December 15.
Continue to pray for Jack Hoppes and John Pipher, David Bezek who is in hospice in Colorado Springs.
Continue to pray for Ryan Kerr in hospice.
Continue to pray for Connie Perry, George Kossler.
Continue to pray for Mike Musa.
Pray for our evening television program tonight on Cable channel 4 at 7p.m.
In Christ,
Brown
Friday, December 7, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 12-6-07
Good morning,
It is beautiful and bright. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, makes all things beautiful and bright in His time. It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Praise the Lord for the joy of Christmas. Jesus is the embodiment of joy. He came down, and was wrapped in swaddling clothes. In Isaiah 12, we see the Lord described as our song, our salvation, and our Savior.
Isaiah chapter 12 begins: "In that day you will say: ’I will praise you, O LORD.’" The children of Israel would find reason to praise the Lord. Isaiah states that reason for rejoicing, "Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me." We remember that Isaiah lived only a few generations after the children of Israel came out of Egypt. They had wandered for forty years in the wilderness. We know that as we study the history of the children of Israel we see how the Lord delivered them. In the forty years the Lord never left them or forsook them. They would have reason to rejoice because the Lord has done glorious things.
Verse 2 continues: "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." Time and again the Lord God forgave them and delivered them. When they came to the Promised Land, after God had protected them for forty years, God now drove out their enemies. The greatest army in the world was easily defeated by the power of God and not by the small tribe of the children of Israel. God has done glorious things. As Isaiah says: "He has become my strength, my son, my salvation." The Lord had delivered them. We are also reminded today that he delivers us.
In verse 3 Isaiah says: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Again, sometimes those illustrations are lost on us. We live in a very blessed country. When we want water, we turn on the tap and we turn off the tap. Here in the time of Isaiah, water was very precious. Water took up part of their day of labors and tasks to be done. The women had to go outside the city very often to the well and draw water and bring it back every day. Isaiah now describes that
instead of it being a task of drudgery, a daily routine that some didn’t like to do at all, he says: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation". This was referring to Jesus as the very Water of Life. We draw a similar parallel--when Jesus comes and calls himself the Water of Life. Who can forget the time when Jesus visits with the woman of Samaria at the well? The disciples go ahead and leave Jesus behind.
Jesus stays at the well to rest. Jesus runs into a woman and strikes up a conversation. It is a Samaritan whom the Jews had very little to do with, actually they wanted to do nothing at all with a Samaritan. Yet, Jesus visits with her and explains to her that in him is the Water of Life.
From Revelation we read these words as John is given the vision of what is in heaven, "For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:17). Our Lord has done glorious things. He has become my salvation. The Lord knows every individual's needs and he provides for them. He becomes, as Isaiah says, our strength, our song, our joy, and our reason, actually our only real reason, for living. In chapter 10 of John Jesus speaks about
himself as the Good Shepherd and he makes this point when he says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). The Lord has done glorious things. He gives us life to the full.
God’s words through the prophet Isaiah first reminded the children of Israel that God loved them, cared for them, and protected them. He had to remind them of that even though they saw God’s glory every day for forty years in the wilderness, even though they saw God’s promises fulfilled when they came to the Promised Land. Yet, Isaiah says, "Don’t forget the Lord has become your salvation, and that he is with you day after day." At the end of our text he says, "Shout aloud and sing for
joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."."
Paul writes: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near" (Philippians 4:4,5). Let your joy and gentleness be shown, so that others may see it.
Note that Paul writes rejoice and even says again: Rejoice! Our natural, sinful nature does not want to rejoice.
Paul says in Philippians, "Let your joy be seen." How vitally important it is that our joy in Jesus must be seen. Let the beauty and the joy of Jesus be seen in us and through us. Make Christ be praised.
In Christ,
Brown
Thank you for praying for Linda Ayer, she came home yesterday. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.
Our friend Irene Boyer has been discharged from the hospital and is going for rehabilitation.
Baby Dylan will be home today after his surgery.
Keep on praying and praising. Keep on trusting and learning to walk by faith.
It is beautiful and bright. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, makes all things beautiful and bright in His time. It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Praise the Lord for the joy of Christmas. Jesus is the embodiment of joy. He came down, and was wrapped in swaddling clothes. In Isaiah 12, we see the Lord described as our song, our salvation, and our Savior.
Isaiah chapter 12 begins: "In that day you will say: ’I will praise you, O LORD.’" The children of Israel would find reason to praise the Lord. Isaiah states that reason for rejoicing, "Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me." We remember that Isaiah lived only a few generations after the children of Israel came out of Egypt. They had wandered for forty years in the wilderness. We know that as we study the history of the children of Israel we see how the Lord delivered them. In the forty years the Lord never left them or forsook them. They would have reason to rejoice because the Lord has done glorious things.
Verse 2 continues: "Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation." Time and again the Lord God forgave them and delivered them. When they came to the Promised Land, after God had protected them for forty years, God now drove out their enemies. The greatest army in the world was easily defeated by the power of God and not by the small tribe of the children of Israel. God has done glorious things. As Isaiah says: "He has become my strength, my son, my salvation." The Lord had delivered them. We are also reminded today that he delivers us.
In verse 3 Isaiah says: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Again, sometimes those illustrations are lost on us. We live in a very blessed country. When we want water, we turn on the tap and we turn off the tap. Here in the time of Isaiah, water was very precious. Water took up part of their day of labors and tasks to be done. The women had to go outside the city very often to the well and draw water and bring it back every day. Isaiah now describes that
instead of it being a task of drudgery, a daily routine that some didn’t like to do at all, he says: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation". This was referring to Jesus as the very Water of Life. We draw a similar parallel--when Jesus comes and calls himself the Water of Life. Who can forget the time when Jesus visits with the woman of Samaria at the well? The disciples go ahead and leave Jesus behind.
Jesus stays at the well to rest. Jesus runs into a woman and strikes up a conversation. It is a Samaritan whom the Jews had very little to do with, actually they wanted to do nothing at all with a Samaritan. Yet, Jesus visits with her and explains to her that in him is the Water of Life.
From Revelation we read these words as John is given the vision of what is in heaven, "For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:17). Our Lord has done glorious things. He has become my salvation. The Lord knows every individual's needs and he provides for them. He becomes, as Isaiah says, our strength, our song, our joy, and our reason, actually our only real reason, for living. In chapter 10 of John Jesus speaks about
himself as the Good Shepherd and he makes this point when he says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). The Lord has done glorious things. He gives us life to the full.
God’s words through the prophet Isaiah first reminded the children of Israel that God loved them, cared for them, and protected them. He had to remind them of that even though they saw God’s glory every day for forty years in the wilderness, even though they saw God’s promises fulfilled when they came to the Promised Land. Yet, Isaiah says, "Don’t forget the Lord has become your salvation, and that he is with you day after day." At the end of our text he says, "Shout aloud and sing for
joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."."
Paul writes: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near" (Philippians 4:4,5). Let your joy and gentleness be shown, so that others may see it.
Note that Paul writes rejoice and even says again: Rejoice! Our natural, sinful nature does not want to rejoice.
Paul says in Philippians, "Let your joy be seen." How vitally important it is that our joy in Jesus must be seen. Let the beauty and the joy of Jesus be seen in us and through us. Make Christ be praised.
In Christ,
Brown
Thank you for praying for Linda Ayer, she came home yesterday. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.
Our friend Irene Boyer has been discharged from the hospital and is going for rehabilitation.
Baby Dylan will be home today after his surgery.
Keep on praying and praising. Keep on trusting and learning to walk by faith.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 12-5-07
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this Holy Season of Advent. It is a season of pausing and pondering, of waiting and contemplating. It is the season of repentance and cleansing. It is our sin that caused Christ to come into the world. He came to the crib and went to the Cross. The Lord of Majesty and Splendor did not abhor things that were mundane and insignificant. He chose to make the manger His cradle. The Lord of all creation and glory came down to the dunghills of life. He brought glory with Him as He came down to dwell among us.
Michelangelo specialized in sculpting marble. Our Savior and Lord specialized in recreating and redeeming our human lives. He became the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He emptied Himself and became a servant. He focused on small things and made them significant and sacred.
I have gleaned some interesting insights from an article entitled, “Significance vs. Size,” found in Ministry Today magazine. The article focuses on Jim Graff, founder of the Significant Church Network, and Graff states, “The Barna [research] Group notes that, in 2005, 45 percent of American adults attended church on a typical weekend, but only two percent attend a Protestant megachurch. The bottom line is: The vast majority of America’s Christians are being discipled and cared for in smaller churches.” He also draws from The World Christian Encyclopedia to tell us that, “Urban dwellers are more evangelized than rural dwellers,” revealing a huge need for ministry efforts to be concentrated in rural areas, or the places that are overlooked and deemed insignificant. Graff is saying rural America is significant to the Lord!
Jim Graff goes on to say, “I would like to believe that the next 10 years will be known as the beginning of the Third Great Awakening in our nation." If you are unaware of what happened in the first two Great Awakenings, it makes for fascinating reading. Cities were changed as people began attending churches and steeples from newly-constructed churches filled the skylines. The Great Awakening, according to historians, was not one continuous revival but a series of revivals in several locations. Almost without exception these sparks of renewal started in smaller communities before spreading into larger cities and towns. Near the end of the magazine article Graff leaves us with some sound advice and encouragement from 2 Corinthians 10:12, which states, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” Let’s not compare and live in discouragement, but realize that God has a plan and purpose for the small church.
Let’s look at the ministry of John the Baptist, as we read Matthew 3:1-6. "He Preached in the Wilderness" When John began his ministry where did he preach? We read here that “he came preaching in the wilderness of Judea” (v. 1). The wilderness . . . do we feel that we are in the wilderness? Does our church or ministry feel hidden and obscure? This is how the members, and even the pastors, of small churches often feel about themselves. They feel that they can’t be of any significance to God in a sparsely populated area; but just look at John! His ministry was in the wilderness, and it was even prophesied about and planned by God (v. 3)! Consider how the Lord may have you planted where you are for a strategic purpose.
"He Preached the Gospel Message". What did John preach? Verse 2 shows that he declared to the people, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Mark 1:4 is more specific, for it tells us, “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” John was preaching a message about repenting of our sins, being forgiven of those sins, and being baptized symbolizing a new life free from sin. He also preached that one must believe in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of their sin, for Paul stated over in Acts 19:4, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” John preached a very straight forward and non-watered-down message that Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6).
"The Setting was Unattractive" – What do you notice about John himself? Would you say that he was an attractive fellow? The Bible describes him as a grasshopper-eating caveman (v. 4). John was a strange looking person, to say the least, but if you will notice people still came to hear his message. They didn’t come because John was attractive; they came because his message was attractive. So many times we feel insignificant because our facility is old, or because we don’t have flashy amenities to offer, but that’s not what draws people. Magnifying the name of Jesus is what draws people to our church. In John 12:32 Jesus declared, “If I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
"News of God’s Work Spread". When we examine this passage, who all do we notice that heard John’s message? In verse 5 we learn that it was those from Jerusalem, from all Judea, and the entire region around the Jordan, or surrounding the Jordan River. The Jordan River is 156 miles long. It was a large area of population that was affected by his ministry, not just the few hermits found scattered here and there in the wilderness. If you faithfully preach God’s Word, news will reach far and wide!
"The People Were Drawn There". They heard him out in the wilderness! In verse 5 we read that they actually “went out to him.”
"People Were Spiritually Healed". As we see here, when people heard the faithful preaching of the gospel, their lives were changed. They were forgiven of their sins through Jesus Christ, and as we read in verse 5, they “were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” These people were healed spiritually. The Lord of the church will bless the church when it is faithful with the small things (Matthew 25:21).
We see a similar theme in the ministry of Jesus, our Lord, as we read in Matthew 4:23-25. "He Preached in the Wilderness". When Jesus began his ministry where did he preach? Verse 23 says, “Jesus went about all Galilee . . .” This verse brings to mind a prophecy of Jesus, often quoted during the Christmas season, from Isaiah chapter 9, which says, “By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined” (9:1b-2). Galilee was divided into upper and lower Galilee during Jesus’ time, and “Galilee of the Gentiles” was the upper portion. “The upper Galilee has no cities in it. It’s rural, it’s remote. It’s located in the highest hills of the land of Israel . . . a very remote area along the borders and frontiers of modern Lebanon, and high mountains and very, very treacherous terrain, very isolated by reason of topography and the nature of the land itself.” Jesus’ ministry began in a remote area, and in John 7:41 and 52 we hear a crowd state, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? . . . Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” How many people today feel that God can’t do anything good in a rural or remote area?
"He Preached the Gospel Message". What did Jesus preach? Verse 23 tells us it was “the gospel of the kingdom” (v. 23). As with John, Jesus also preached the gospel or Good News! We read in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 of the gospel message: “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Believing and confessing the gospel message is what leads to salvation. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Let’s not overlook the fact that the Lord also used Jesus to pray for people’s healing, and to see people miraculously healed!
"The Setting was Unattractive". What kinds of people showed up where Jesus preached? Many were sick people. Today, if we hear that a number of people at church have the cold or the flu, we usually find a reason to stay home that Sunday. During the winter we might decide not to place our children in nursery or children’s church because kids spread so many germs. Not too many of us want to show up in a place where there are a lot of sick people. It’s just too messy! We see here that Jesus’ message was so attractive that no one cared that there were a lot of sick people around. If we are preaching what people need to hear, they won’t mind the mess!
"The People Were Drawn There". How were people able to hear Jesus preach and be healed by him? Verse 24 says, “And they brought to him all people who were afflicted . . .” They came to him where he was. As I said before, if we offer people what they need, then it does not matter how remote our church may be; people are going to journey here.
"People Were Spiritually Healed". As we saw with the example of John, when people journeyed to hear Jesus preach, they were healed spiritually. Verse 23 tells us that Jesus healed “all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (v. 23). The greatest sickness and the deadliest disease is sin, and the related consequence of sin, which is spiritual death (Romans 6:23) for all eternity. Jesus healed this disease too, for John the Baptist said of Jesus, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29b). The Good News is that no place is too small for God to show up; we, because of Christ, are significant in God’s kingdom! We may not see it right now, but God has strategically placed us where we are for a reason, and we need to remain faithful. We read in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
Keep praying for Linda Ayer who is gaining strength day by day. She may be going home today!
Pray for 5 month old Dylan Jeffery Ring, the grandson of Dave and Barbara Ring who has undergone a three hour skull surgery on Monday. He is stable and gaining strength.
Hi Pastor Brown,
Would you add Scott Henson and family to your prayer list. Scott is unsaved as is his wife Liz. And Allyson is only 6 and is in danger at times due to the addictive, sometimes violent nature of her mother. Allyson's other grandmother who has sinced passed on, was schizophrenic and tried to kill Liz. Liz is Bipolar and addicted to various substances. So I want to pray for protection for all of them.
Thank you, N. H.
A quick note to let all at UCMC know that their prayers have meant so much.
Am glad to report that Mom is on the fast road to recovery. Should be discharged soon to a rehab center
Thank you all the Boyers
Our Lord is awesome and merciful.
For anyone with kids, grand kids, other relatives or friends whom this may concern. Check it out at snopes.com. It is true.
There will be a new children's movie out in December called "The Golden Compass". The movie has been described as "atheism for kids" and is based on the first book of a trilogy entitled "His Dark Materials" that was written by Phillip Pullman. Pullman is a militant atheist and secular humanist who despises C. S. Lewis and the "Chronicles of Narnia". His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis' symbolisms of Christ that are portrayed in the Narnia series.
Clearly, Pullman's main objective is to bash Christianity and promote atheism. Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that "my books are about killing God." He has even stated that he wants to "kill God in the minds of children". It has been said of Pullman that he is "the writer the atheists would be praying for, if atheists prayed."
While "The Golden Compass" movie itself may seem mild and innocent, the books are a much different story. In the trilogy, a young streetwise girl becomes enmeshed in an epic struggle to ultimately defeat the oppressive forces of a senile God. Another character, an ex-nun, describes Christianity as "a very powerful and convincing mistake." In the final book, characters representing Adam and Eve eventually kill God, who at times is called YAHWEH. Each book in the trilogy gets progressively worse regarding Pullman's hatred of Jesus Christ.
"The Golden Compass" is set to premier on December 7, during the Christmas season, and will probably be heavily advertised. Promoters hope that unsuspecting parents will take their children to see the movie, that they will enjoy the movie, and that the children will want the books for Christmas.
Please pass this information along to everyone you know. This will help to educate parents, so that they will know the agenda of the movie.
Kari :-)
Praise the Lord for this Holy Season of Advent. It is a season of pausing and pondering, of waiting and contemplating. It is the season of repentance and cleansing. It is our sin that caused Christ to come into the world. He came to the crib and went to the Cross. The Lord of Majesty and Splendor did not abhor things that were mundane and insignificant. He chose to make the manger His cradle. The Lord of all creation and glory came down to the dunghills of life. He brought glory with Him as He came down to dwell among us.
Michelangelo specialized in sculpting marble. Our Savior and Lord specialized in recreating and redeeming our human lives. He became the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He emptied Himself and became a servant. He focused on small things and made them significant and sacred.
I have gleaned some interesting insights from an article entitled, “Significance vs. Size,” found in Ministry Today magazine. The article focuses on Jim Graff, founder of the Significant Church Network, and Graff states, “The Barna [research] Group notes that, in 2005, 45 percent of American adults attended church on a typical weekend, but only two percent attend a Protestant megachurch. The bottom line is: The vast majority of America’s Christians are being discipled and cared for in smaller churches.” He also draws from The World Christian Encyclopedia to tell us that, “Urban dwellers are more evangelized than rural dwellers,” revealing a huge need for ministry efforts to be concentrated in rural areas, or the places that are overlooked and deemed insignificant. Graff is saying rural America is significant to the Lord!
Jim Graff goes on to say, “I would like to believe that the next 10 years will be known as the beginning of the Third Great Awakening in our nation." If you are unaware of what happened in the first two Great Awakenings, it makes for fascinating reading. Cities were changed as people began attending churches and steeples from newly-constructed churches filled the skylines. The Great Awakening, according to historians, was not one continuous revival but a series of revivals in several locations. Almost without exception these sparks of renewal started in smaller communities before spreading into larger cities and towns. Near the end of the magazine article Graff leaves us with some sound advice and encouragement from 2 Corinthians 10:12, which states, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” Let’s not compare and live in discouragement, but realize that God has a plan and purpose for the small church.
Let’s look at the ministry of John the Baptist, as we read Matthew 3:1-6. "He Preached in the Wilderness" When John began his ministry where did he preach? We read here that “he came preaching in the wilderness of Judea” (v. 1). The wilderness . . . do we feel that we are in the wilderness? Does our church or ministry feel hidden and obscure? This is how the members, and even the pastors, of small churches often feel about themselves. They feel that they can’t be of any significance to God in a sparsely populated area; but just look at John! His ministry was in the wilderness, and it was even prophesied about and planned by God (v. 3)! Consider how the Lord may have you planted where you are for a strategic purpose.
"He Preached the Gospel Message". What did John preach? Verse 2 shows that he declared to the people, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Mark 1:4 is more specific, for it tells us, “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” John was preaching a message about repenting of our sins, being forgiven of those sins, and being baptized symbolizing a new life free from sin. He also preached that one must believe in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of their sin, for Paul stated over in Acts 19:4, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” John preached a very straight forward and non-watered-down message that Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6).
"The Setting was Unattractive" – What do you notice about John himself? Would you say that he was an attractive fellow? The Bible describes him as a grasshopper-eating caveman (v. 4). John was a strange looking person, to say the least, but if you will notice people still came to hear his message. They didn’t come because John was attractive; they came because his message was attractive. So many times we feel insignificant because our facility is old, or because we don’t have flashy amenities to offer, but that’s not what draws people. Magnifying the name of Jesus is what draws people to our church. In John 12:32 Jesus declared, “If I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
"News of God’s Work Spread". When we examine this passage, who all do we notice that heard John’s message? In verse 5 we learn that it was those from Jerusalem, from all Judea, and the entire region around the Jordan, or surrounding the Jordan River. The Jordan River is 156 miles long. It was a large area of population that was affected by his ministry, not just the few hermits found scattered here and there in the wilderness. If you faithfully preach God’s Word, news will reach far and wide!
"The People Were Drawn There". They heard him out in the wilderness! In verse 5 we read that they actually “went out to him.”
"People Were Spiritually Healed". As we see here, when people heard the faithful preaching of the gospel, their lives were changed. They were forgiven of their sins through Jesus Christ, and as we read in verse 5, they “were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” These people were healed spiritually. The Lord of the church will bless the church when it is faithful with the small things (Matthew 25:21).
We see a similar theme in the ministry of Jesus, our Lord, as we read in Matthew 4:23-25. "He Preached in the Wilderness". When Jesus began his ministry where did he preach? Verse 23 says, “Jesus went about all Galilee . . .” This verse brings to mind a prophecy of Jesus, often quoted during the Christmas season, from Isaiah chapter 9, which says, “By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined” (9:1b-2). Galilee was divided into upper and lower Galilee during Jesus’ time, and “Galilee of the Gentiles” was the upper portion. “The upper Galilee has no cities in it. It’s rural, it’s remote. It’s located in the highest hills of the land of Israel . . . a very remote area along the borders and frontiers of modern Lebanon, and high mountains and very, very treacherous terrain, very isolated by reason of topography and the nature of the land itself.” Jesus’ ministry began in a remote area, and in John 7:41 and 52 we hear a crowd state, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? . . . Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.” How many people today feel that God can’t do anything good in a rural or remote area?
"He Preached the Gospel Message". What did Jesus preach? Verse 23 tells us it was “the gospel of the kingdom” (v. 23). As with John, Jesus also preached the gospel or Good News! We read in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 of the gospel message: “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Believing and confessing the gospel message is what leads to salvation. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Let’s not overlook the fact that the Lord also used Jesus to pray for people’s healing, and to see people miraculously healed!
"The Setting was Unattractive". What kinds of people showed up where Jesus preached? Many were sick people. Today, if we hear that a number of people at church have the cold or the flu, we usually find a reason to stay home that Sunday. During the winter we might decide not to place our children in nursery or children’s church because kids spread so many germs. Not too many of us want to show up in a place where there are a lot of sick people. It’s just too messy! We see here that Jesus’ message was so attractive that no one cared that there were a lot of sick people around. If we are preaching what people need to hear, they won’t mind the mess!
"The People Were Drawn There". How were people able to hear Jesus preach and be healed by him? Verse 24 says, “And they brought to him all people who were afflicted . . .” They came to him where he was. As I said before, if we offer people what they need, then it does not matter how remote our church may be; people are going to journey here.
"People Were Spiritually Healed". As we saw with the example of John, when people journeyed to hear Jesus preach, they were healed spiritually. Verse 23 tells us that Jesus healed “all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (v. 23). The greatest sickness and the deadliest disease is sin, and the related consequence of sin, which is spiritual death (Romans 6:23) for all eternity. Jesus healed this disease too, for John the Baptist said of Jesus, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29b). The Good News is that no place is too small for God to show up; we, because of Christ, are significant in God’s kingdom! We may not see it right now, but God has strategically placed us where we are for a reason, and we need to remain faithful. We read in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
Keep praying for Linda Ayer who is gaining strength day by day. She may be going home today!
Pray for 5 month old Dylan Jeffery Ring, the grandson of Dave and Barbara Ring who has undergone a three hour skull surgery on Monday. He is stable and gaining strength.
Hi Pastor Brown,
Would you add Scott Henson and family to your prayer list. Scott is unsaved as is his wife Liz. And Allyson is only 6 and is in danger at times due to the addictive, sometimes violent nature of her mother. Allyson's other grandmother who has sinced passed on, was schizophrenic and tried to kill Liz. Liz is Bipolar and addicted to various substances. So I want to pray for protection for all of them.
Thank you, N. H.
A quick note to let all at UCMC know that their prayers have meant so much.
Am glad to report that Mom is on the fast road to recovery. Should be discharged soon to a rehab center
Thank you all the Boyers
Our Lord is awesome and merciful.
For anyone with kids, grand kids, other relatives or friends whom this may concern. Check it out at snopes.com. It is true.
There will be a new children's movie out in December called "The Golden Compass". The movie has been described as "atheism for kids" and is based on the first book of a trilogy entitled "His Dark Materials" that was written by Phillip Pullman. Pullman is a militant atheist and secular humanist who despises C. S. Lewis and the "Chronicles of Narnia". His motivation for writing this trilogy was specifically to counteract Lewis' symbolisms of Christ that are portrayed in the Narnia series.
Clearly, Pullman's main objective is to bash Christianity and promote atheism. Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview that "my books are about killing God." He has even stated that he wants to "kill God in the minds of children". It has been said of Pullman that he is "the writer the atheists would be praying for, if atheists prayed."
While "The Golden Compass" movie itself may seem mild and innocent, the books are a much different story. In the trilogy, a young streetwise girl becomes enmeshed in an epic struggle to ultimately defeat the oppressive forces of a senile God. Another character, an ex-nun, describes Christianity as "a very powerful and convincing mistake." In the final book, characters representing Adam and Eve eventually kill God, who at times is called YAHWEH. Each book in the trilogy gets progressively worse regarding Pullman's hatred of Jesus Christ.
"The Golden Compass" is set to premier on December 7, during the Christmas season, and will probably be heavily advertised. Promoters hope that unsuspecting parents will take their children to see the movie, that they will enjoy the movie, and that the children will want the books for Christmas.
Please pass this information along to everyone you know. This will help to educate parents, so that they will know the agenda of the movie.
Kari :-)
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 12-4-07
Good Afternoon,
Praise the Lord for this beautiful new day. We are blessed with more fresh snow. It is beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS. We attended the 75th celebration of the Christmas Extravaganza presented by the Radio City Music Hall yesterday; we had 60 in the group. The Lord blessed us with a great fellowship and sweet friendship. It was almost a perfect day in the City of New York. We reached home safe and sound and it began to snow. Many of the local schools were canceled today because of snow, and Alice was able to stay home and do some Christmas sewing for Micah and Simeon.
Thank you for praying for our friend Linda Ayer, who came through the surgery well yesterday. She spent the night in the Intensive Care Unit and they have just moved her out of the ICU, into a general room. Warren said that she is doing well. They removed almost all tubes and gadgets, including the oxygen. They made her get up and walk. Then she ate half of sandwich. Praise Jesus, for He is faithful and wonderful. He is able, He is mighty, and He is merciful. Keep on praying for Linda.
Praise the Lord for the good news of Jesus that came down to the earth wrapped in swaddling clothes. The Gift goes on. The Good News of Jesus Christ is not only that we are redeemed and reconciled to God through Christ’s death on the Cross. We are “invited into a new life in Christ”. The Gospel is not just about “getting to heaven” but rather experiencing the abundant life that Christ offers us - which begins here and now on this earth. If we start to live that abundant life here on earth, then death becomes - as one commentator put it- “only a minor transition from this life to the greater Life”
St. Paul said to the Christians in Corinth that, “If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Being a NEW CREATION must result in living a NEW LIFESTYLE. Most people initially respond to the Gospel – either positively or negatively - by how they like the lifestyle of the Christians they know.
Every time I read the story of Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941), I am provoked to love Jesus and His people a little more deeply. Maximilian Kolbe was a Catholic priest who was put in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz for his faith.
During his time there, he would share his meager rations of food with those around him who were hungry. A protestant doctor who treated the patients in Kolbe’s block said that Kolbe would not let himself be treated before any other prisoners in that block. He sacrificed himself for the other prisoners. The doctor said about Kolbe: "From my observations, the virtues in the Servant of God were no momentary impulse such as are often found in men, they sprang from a habitual practice, deeply woven into his personality
One day a man in Kolbe’s block escaped. At the end of the day, the man that had escaped was not found and so the Nazi commandant told the prisoners that ten men would be selected to die in the starvation cell in place of the one that had escaped. One man, a Polish sergeant (Francis Ga- jow -ni - czek) who was selected, begged to be spared. He was worried that his family would not be able to survive without him. As he was pleading with the commandant, Maximilian Kolbe silently stepped forward and said, "I am a Catholic priest from Poland; I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children."
The Commandant stood silent for a moment in disbelief. He then allowed the sergeant to go back to his place in the ranks and Kolbe took his place in the starvation bunker.
Each day the guards removed the bodies of those who had died. However, instead of the usual screaming and cursing, all they could hear was the sounds of Kolbe and the others in the bunker singing hymns and praying. When Kolbe couldn’t speak any longer due to hunger and lack of energy, he would whisper his prayers. After two weeks, the cell had to be cleared out for more prisoners and so the guards injected Kolbe with a lethal injection, and on August 14, 1941 he paid the ultimate price for following his Master.
Although I would differ from him theologically on many points – for example his adoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary – I admire his commitment to Christ. I wish I could live like him.
A radical lifestyle can speak volumes. As one commentator said: We “cannot preach the Good News and be the bad news”
Praise the Lord for the sounds and the sights of the Christmas season all around us. You can sense a spirit of hope, peace, and generosity. Praise the Lord for the way the world, including the nations and people groups around the world, celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. The expressions of worship and celebration are as diverse and colorful as the cultures and peoples from which they come. Amid all the blessings around us, may we also be reminded of the needs of the lost, the least, and the last around us. May the Lord give us grace to give of our time, talents, and treasures. Anything which we give in Jesus' name He takes, blesses, and multiplies to His glory.
Pray for all of the pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and kingdom-workers who are constantly giving of themselves to the Lord's Kingdom.
Keep on praying for the following: Ryan Kerr, Jack Hoppes, Kim Soundararaj, Thelma Boyer, Jack Black, Mehlon and Eloise Tewksbury, Jane Loeffler, Irving Rosenbarker.
In Christ,
Brown
Praise the Lord for this beautiful new day. We are blessed with more fresh snow. It is beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS. We attended the 75th celebration of the Christmas Extravaganza presented by the Radio City Music Hall yesterday; we had 60 in the group. The Lord blessed us with a great fellowship and sweet friendship. It was almost a perfect day in the City of New York. We reached home safe and sound and it began to snow. Many of the local schools were canceled today because of snow, and Alice was able to stay home and do some Christmas sewing for Micah and Simeon.
Thank you for praying for our friend Linda Ayer, who came through the surgery well yesterday. She spent the night in the Intensive Care Unit and they have just moved her out of the ICU, into a general room. Warren said that she is doing well. They removed almost all tubes and gadgets, including the oxygen. They made her get up and walk. Then she ate half of sandwich. Praise Jesus, for He is faithful and wonderful. He is able, He is mighty, and He is merciful. Keep on praying for Linda.
Praise the Lord for the good news of Jesus that came down to the earth wrapped in swaddling clothes. The Gift goes on. The Good News of Jesus Christ is not only that we are redeemed and reconciled to God through Christ’s death on the Cross. We are “invited into a new life in Christ”. The Gospel is not just about “getting to heaven” but rather experiencing the abundant life that Christ offers us - which begins here and now on this earth. If we start to live that abundant life here on earth, then death becomes - as one commentator put it- “only a minor transition from this life to the greater Life”
St. Paul said to the Christians in Corinth that, “If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Being a NEW CREATION must result in living a NEW LIFESTYLE. Most people initially respond to the Gospel – either positively or negatively - by how they like the lifestyle of the Christians they know.
Every time I read the story of Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941), I am provoked to love Jesus and His people a little more deeply. Maximilian Kolbe was a Catholic priest who was put in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz for his faith.
During his time there, he would share his meager rations of food with those around him who were hungry. A protestant doctor who treated the patients in Kolbe’s block said that Kolbe would not let himself be treated before any other prisoners in that block. He sacrificed himself for the other prisoners. The doctor said about Kolbe: "From my observations, the virtues in the Servant of God were no momentary impulse such as are often found in men, they sprang from a habitual practice, deeply woven into his personality
One day a man in Kolbe’s block escaped. At the end of the day, the man that had escaped was not found and so the Nazi commandant told the prisoners that ten men would be selected to die in the starvation cell in place of the one that had escaped. One man, a Polish sergeant (Francis Ga- jow -ni - czek) who was selected, begged to be spared. He was worried that his family would not be able to survive without him. As he was pleading with the commandant, Maximilian Kolbe silently stepped forward and said, "I am a Catholic priest from Poland; I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children."
The Commandant stood silent for a moment in disbelief. He then allowed the sergeant to go back to his place in the ranks and Kolbe took his place in the starvation bunker.
Each day the guards removed the bodies of those who had died. However, instead of the usual screaming and cursing, all they could hear was the sounds of Kolbe and the others in the bunker singing hymns and praying. When Kolbe couldn’t speak any longer due to hunger and lack of energy, he would whisper his prayers. After two weeks, the cell had to be cleared out for more prisoners and so the guards injected Kolbe with a lethal injection, and on August 14, 1941 he paid the ultimate price for following his Master.
Although I would differ from him theologically on many points – for example his adoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary – I admire his commitment to Christ. I wish I could live like him.
A radical lifestyle can speak volumes. As one commentator said: We “cannot preach the Good News and be the bad news”
Praise the Lord for the sounds and the sights of the Christmas season all around us. You can sense a spirit of hope, peace, and generosity. Praise the Lord for the way the world, including the nations and people groups around the world, celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. The expressions of worship and celebration are as diverse and colorful as the cultures and peoples from which they come. Amid all the blessings around us, may we also be reminded of the needs of the lost, the least, and the last around us. May the Lord give us grace to give of our time, talents, and treasures. Anything which we give in Jesus' name He takes, blesses, and multiplies to His glory.
Pray for all of the pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and kingdom-workers who are constantly giving of themselves to the Lord's Kingdom.
Keep on praying for the following: Ryan Kerr, Jack Hoppes, Kim Soundararaj, Thelma Boyer, Jack Black, Mehlon and Eloise Tewksbury, Jane Loeffler, Irving Rosenbarker.
In Christ,
Brown
Monday, December 3, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 12-3-07
Good Morning.
We had our first real snow fall today. It is beginning to look like Christmas. The Old Testament reading for today was taken from Isaiah 2.
I would like to ask to pray for Linda Ayer a sweet servant of Jesus our Lord. She is going in for a brain surgery Monday morning at 7.30 AM. Please pray that the Lord would guide the hands of the surgeon and that the Lord indeed would perform a great and mighty miracle in Linda. His name would be glorified and exalted. May the Lord and the Prince of Peace who brings to us His divine healing would pour upon Linda His anointing and total healing.
Isaiah 2:1-4 gives us a wonderful picture of God’s peace. Verse 4 poetically states that the weapons of war will be transformed into items that are constructive. Swords will be beaten into plowshares. Spears will be beaten into pruning hooks. At that time, nations will no longer train their militaries for war any more. The transformation of these weapons as instruments designed to kill are transformed into tools that are used in farming. They become instruments that support the ways of life.
It is God who gives us the fruits of the field. It is also God who makes peace possible. Therefore, as the Bible tells us "man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Physical food nourishes our bodies, but the word of God nourishes our souls. There is a true story of two men who were divided by war, but later united through Jesus Christ the PRINCE OF PEACE (Isaiah 9:6). They surrendered their swords and spears so that they could emotionally and spiritually be transformed into plowshares and pruning hooks.
December 7 is Pearl Harbor Day. The United States did not enter the war until after WORLD WAR II until after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Both civilians and service men alike remember that event. That event marked a time in the history of our country when no one living at that time would forget where they were or what they doing when they heard the news of that day on December 7, 1941. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt described that day as a day that would live in infamy. Those who were not living at that time have learned about the events of that historic day from the history books. From the moment that Pearl Harbor was bombed onward, the name Pearl Harbor became known as a battle cry.
The Japanese at that time were obviously eager for battle when they made their unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese provoked the situation when they made their attack. Before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U. S. was not even involved in World War II except for one exception. The only involvement that the U. S. did have prior to their entry into World War II (that I know about) as a small group known as the Flying Tigers (they were also known as the American Volunteer Group or AVG for short). They were a group of American pilots who fought for the Chinese against the Japanese.
For the Japanese, Pearl Harbor was a victory. Years before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, there was a young Japanese boy by the name of Mitsuo Fuchida who, at the age of three, aspired to become a national hero like the Japanese national hero Admiral Togo who had at one time destroyed the Russian fleet in a surprise attack. Years later Mitsuo Fuchida became the equivalent of the modern day American TOP GUN in Japan. It was Mitsuo Fuchida who led 360 Japanese planes in the attack on Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941. Look at the the results of their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor...
Updated reports in 1991 suggested that there may have been as many as 5 Japanese submarines that were involved in addition to their 360 planes
- 2,403 Americans were killed
- 1,178 Americans were wounded
- Of the 18 American ships that were present, 11 were sunk, (8 battleships, 3 cruisers)
- 347 American planes were destroyed
Over two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ our Lord was born in Bethlehem. Far too many times we make light of the significance of this fact. Jesus is the PRINCE OF PEACE (Isaiah 9:6). The name "Jesus" means Savior (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is our Immanuel which means God with us (Matthew 1:23). He died in our place as the sacrificial lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Jesus’ blood is the blood of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31: 33-34, Hebrews 8:10-13).
German theologian Karl Barth once said that in Christ both creation and humanity are reconciled. Forgiveness and reconciliation are one in the same. The reason that they are related is that if two or more parties are at odds with one another, then reconciliation cannot take place without the element of forgiveness. The truth of the matter is that we ourselves do not deserve the forgiveness that God gives us through Jesus Christ. It is a unmerited gift called grace. It was only through Jesus Christ that Jacob Deshazer, U. S. soldier and ex-POW, that he (Jacob) was able to get rid of his hatred for the Japanese. Jacob Deshazer had just finished flight school when he heard about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As a result, Jacob began to hate the Japanese with a Passion. He had an axe to grind, a score to settle. In fact he was so hot with passion that he even volunteered for a bombing mission in Japan. The mission was known as the "Doolittle mission". While he was on that mission, he ran out of fuel. Shortly thereafter, he was captured by the Japanese. The next 40 months of his life were spent as a POW. 34 of those 40 months he spent in solitary confinement. One day, he saw a fellow POW die of starvation that enraged him all the more in his passionate hate for the Japanese. However, instead of building on that hate any more, he reflected on the idea of how he once heard that Jesus Christ could turn hate into love.
He spent the next few months begging for a Bible. Finally his captors got him one. After his conversion, he would pray for his captors even when they beat him. Obviously, through Jesus Christ, God had changed Jacob’s axe to grind and his score to settle into a cross to carry as a disciple of Jesus Christ. God had emotionally and spiritually turned his sword and spear into a plowshare and a pruning hook.
One day Jacob Deshazer and Mitsuo Fuchida ran into each other. This meeting was one that changed Mitsuo’s life forever. He had been called as a character witness for war crimes at a court house. He had been sent as an investigator to Hiroshima and back to Tokyo along with twelve others after the atomic bomb had been dropped in Hiroshima. Of those thirteen who went to investigate what had happened to Hiroshima, Mitsuo was the only one who did not die from radiation. Mitsuo stepped outside the court house as he saw a crowd around Jacob Deshazer. He noticed that Deshazer was handing out pamphlets of his testimony from hateful U.S. soldier and POW to a new creation in Christ (Second Corinthians 5:17). Paper was scarce. Therefore, while others were lining the soles of their worn out shoes with these pamphlets, Mitsuo took one and read its contents. As a result, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He, too, had allowed God to emotionally and spiritually turn his sword and spear into a plowshare and a pruning hook.
The spiritual battle had already been won. Yet, the victory that comes from Jesus Christ cannot be our victory until surrender takes place. Sometimes we have been guilty of having an axe to grind long after the initial conflict between us and the other parties or party had lost it’s fire. We do not have to bear arms to find ourselves fighting with God and each other. All we have to do is refuse to be the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) that Christ has called us to be as His disciples and we will discover that we have allowed the devil to get a toe hold for his bidding as trouble makers who will in the end only keep biting and devouring one another until we have destroyed each other (Galatians 5:15 paraphrased). If these two men who were enemies as a result of the war that they fought in can become brothers in Christ, then why is it so hard for some of us to do the same? The reason it is hard might be because we have not been willing to surrender those swords and spears so that Christ can reconcile us to each other and God. We cannot proclaim God’s peace unless we have proclaimed it in our own lives.
God wants to make us at peace and have us reconciled to Him and others that we may have been at odds with which is why He gave us the most wonderful gift in Jesus Christ. Let God have our swords and spears so that He can turn them into plow shares and pruning hooks so that we may find at last that peace and goodwill that He wants all of us to have.
In Christ the Prince of Peace.
Brown
We had our first real snow fall today. It is beginning to look like Christmas. The Old Testament reading for today was taken from Isaiah 2.
I would like to ask to pray for Linda Ayer a sweet servant of Jesus our Lord. She is going in for a brain surgery Monday morning at 7.30 AM. Please pray that the Lord would guide the hands of the surgeon and that the Lord indeed would perform a great and mighty miracle in Linda. His name would be glorified and exalted. May the Lord and the Prince of Peace who brings to us His divine healing would pour upon Linda His anointing and total healing.
Isaiah 2:1-4 gives us a wonderful picture of God’s peace. Verse 4 poetically states that the weapons of war will be transformed into items that are constructive. Swords will be beaten into plowshares. Spears will be beaten into pruning hooks. At that time, nations will no longer train their militaries for war any more. The transformation of these weapons as instruments designed to kill are transformed into tools that are used in farming. They become instruments that support the ways of life.
It is God who gives us the fruits of the field. It is also God who makes peace possible. Therefore, as the Bible tells us "man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Physical food nourishes our bodies, but the word of God nourishes our souls. There is a true story of two men who were divided by war, but later united through Jesus Christ the PRINCE OF PEACE (Isaiah 9:6). They surrendered their swords and spears so that they could emotionally and spiritually be transformed into plowshares and pruning hooks.
December 7 is Pearl Harbor Day. The United States did not enter the war until after WORLD WAR II until after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Both civilians and service men alike remember that event. That event marked a time in the history of our country when no one living at that time would forget where they were or what they doing when they heard the news of that day on December 7, 1941. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt described that day as a day that would live in infamy. Those who were not living at that time have learned about the events of that historic day from the history books. From the moment that Pearl Harbor was bombed onward, the name Pearl Harbor became known as a battle cry.
The Japanese at that time were obviously eager for battle when they made their unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese provoked the situation when they made their attack. Before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the U. S. was not even involved in World War II except for one exception. The only involvement that the U. S. did have prior to their entry into World War II (that I know about) as a small group known as the Flying Tigers (they were also known as the American Volunteer Group or AVG for short). They were a group of American pilots who fought for the Chinese against the Japanese.
For the Japanese, Pearl Harbor was a victory. Years before the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, there was a young Japanese boy by the name of Mitsuo Fuchida who, at the age of three, aspired to become a national hero like the Japanese national hero Admiral Togo who had at one time destroyed the Russian fleet in a surprise attack. Years later Mitsuo Fuchida became the equivalent of the modern day American TOP GUN in Japan. It was Mitsuo Fuchida who led 360 Japanese planes in the attack on Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941. Look at the the results of their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor...
Updated reports in 1991 suggested that there may have been as many as 5 Japanese submarines that were involved in addition to their 360 planes
- 2,403 Americans were killed
- 1,178 Americans were wounded
- Of the 18 American ships that were present, 11 were sunk, (8 battleships, 3 cruisers)
- 347 American planes were destroyed
Over two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ our Lord was born in Bethlehem. Far too many times we make light of the significance of this fact. Jesus is the PRINCE OF PEACE (Isaiah 9:6). The name "Jesus" means Savior (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is our Immanuel which means God with us (Matthew 1:23). He died in our place as the sacrificial lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). Jesus’ blood is the blood of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31: 33-34, Hebrews 8:10-13).
German theologian Karl Barth once said that in Christ both creation and humanity are reconciled. Forgiveness and reconciliation are one in the same. The reason that they are related is that if two or more parties are at odds with one another, then reconciliation cannot take place without the element of forgiveness. The truth of the matter is that we ourselves do not deserve the forgiveness that God gives us through Jesus Christ. It is a unmerited gift called grace. It was only through Jesus Christ that Jacob Deshazer, U. S. soldier and ex-POW, that he (Jacob) was able to get rid of his hatred for the Japanese. Jacob Deshazer had just finished flight school when he heard about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As a result, Jacob began to hate the Japanese with a Passion. He had an axe to grind, a score to settle. In fact he was so hot with passion that he even volunteered for a bombing mission in Japan. The mission was known as the "Doolittle mission". While he was on that mission, he ran out of fuel. Shortly thereafter, he was captured by the Japanese. The next 40 months of his life were spent as a POW. 34 of those 40 months he spent in solitary confinement. One day, he saw a fellow POW die of starvation that enraged him all the more in his passionate hate for the Japanese. However, instead of building on that hate any more, he reflected on the idea of how he once heard that Jesus Christ could turn hate into love.
He spent the next few months begging for a Bible. Finally his captors got him one. After his conversion, he would pray for his captors even when they beat him. Obviously, through Jesus Christ, God had changed Jacob’s axe to grind and his score to settle into a cross to carry as a disciple of Jesus Christ. God had emotionally and spiritually turned his sword and spear into a plowshare and a pruning hook.
One day Jacob Deshazer and Mitsuo Fuchida ran into each other. This meeting was one that changed Mitsuo’s life forever. He had been called as a character witness for war crimes at a court house. He had been sent as an investigator to Hiroshima and back to Tokyo along with twelve others after the atomic bomb had been dropped in Hiroshima. Of those thirteen who went to investigate what had happened to Hiroshima, Mitsuo was the only one who did not die from radiation. Mitsuo stepped outside the court house as he saw a crowd around Jacob Deshazer. He noticed that Deshazer was handing out pamphlets of his testimony from hateful U.S. soldier and POW to a new creation in Christ (Second Corinthians 5:17). Paper was scarce. Therefore, while others were lining the soles of their worn out shoes with these pamphlets, Mitsuo took one and read its contents. As a result, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. He, too, had allowed God to emotionally and spiritually turn his sword and spear into a plowshare and a pruning hook.
The spiritual battle had already been won. Yet, the victory that comes from Jesus Christ cannot be our victory until surrender takes place. Sometimes we have been guilty of having an axe to grind long after the initial conflict between us and the other parties or party had lost it’s fire. We do not have to bear arms to find ourselves fighting with God and each other. All we have to do is refuse to be the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) that Christ has called us to be as His disciples and we will discover that we have allowed the devil to get a toe hold for his bidding as trouble makers who will in the end only keep biting and devouring one another until we have destroyed each other (Galatians 5:15 paraphrased). If these two men who were enemies as a result of the war that they fought in can become brothers in Christ, then why is it so hard for some of us to do the same? The reason it is hard might be because we have not been willing to surrender those swords and spears so that Christ can reconcile us to each other and God. We cannot proclaim God’s peace unless we have proclaimed it in our own lives.
God wants to make us at peace and have us reconciled to Him and others that we may have been at odds with which is why He gave us the most wonderful gift in Jesus Christ. Let God have our swords and spears so that He can turn them into plow shares and pruning hooks so that we may find at last that peace and goodwill that He wants all of us to have.
In Christ the Prince of Peace.
Brown
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