Good Morning.
It is calm after the storm yesterday. We have heard from friends in Oklahoma, they have their power back. Praise the Lord for this Holy Season. It is a most wonderful time of the year. As we get close to Christmas Day, shopping center parking lots get clogged with car headlights like a starry night sky in the country. Mindless, welcoming Christmas music drift over the hordes of harried, hopeful, hesitantly happy Christmas, hunters. We praise the Lord for all the customs and traditions of the Season. I like Christmas in the country and also in the City.
City sidewalk, busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style.
In the air there’s
A feeling of Christmas.
Children laughing, people passing,
Meeting smile after smile,
And on every street corner you'll hear:
Silver bells, silver bells,
It’s Christmas time in the city.
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring,
Soon it will be Christmas day.
I love many of the annual playful, over-rated, superficial, commercialized hollow Christmas rituals. Christmas gives us an excuse to move closer to one another. Man shall not live by bread alone; good relationships are of utmost importance and this season reminds us of this.
Christmas crowds us, badgers us, makes us open our pocket books, and hand tokens of love to people we spend too much time avoiding. Christmas makes us vulnerable, duty-bound to honor the possible...we could possibly be friends...we could possibly work together without in-fighting or envy...we could possibly get along, maybe even like each other. Our cynical patterns of mistaken thought patterns try to tell us it won't happen. But for one brief shining moment, we allow ourselves to pretend it is all so...possible. That’s the reason why I love the commercialism of Christmas—it gives us an excuse to move closer to one another. Christmas changes most people’s internal thermometer to "warm-up" setting. I love the commercialism of Christmas because it warms me up on the inside. It warms most of you up too .Christmas gives us a reason to hope. Christmas gives humanity an opportunity to pause and believe, if only for a little while, that "peace on earth and goodwill" are actually possible. For one brief shining moment, heaven touches earth. Despite the war in Iraq and some of the other tragic events that we have heard in the news lately, this Advent season we look forward to a new earth and a new heaven, the time Jesus will come again and bring peace on earth, goodwill to all men, as the angels sang during His first advent. Reading for the coming Sunday is taken from Isaiah 35, which portrays such a hope. The barren wilderness would rejoice in springtime bloom.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.
The beauty of natural wonders would be given to the most desolate of surroundings.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
God would reveal himself in lowest places. And these areas would respond in worship. [35:1-2]
Like the wilderness, the poor and weak would feel the saving touch of God. Those beaten down would be strengthened with a new courage. The ill would be healed. The blind would see. [35:3-6a]
Both the place and the people seem to be in ruin. Yet God would return their glory. The concluding words of Isaiah 35 read: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
“Bless the Sacred Malls: May their tribe increase!”
So, if you haven't been to a crowded shopping space yet this year--or if you've been putting off the last minute gifts and are now wondering how late Wal-Mart stays open Christmas Eve, or if you just want to go window-gazing again--let me suggest a radical departure: Bless the mall! See the shopping centers as holy ground. Go to the crowded places and say a silent prayer, that all these people may have someone to give and receive love, that the spirit of triumph may spread across the human species, that the true gift of Christmas may be born in everyone’s heart.
And I hope that you will find, as one Christmas song sings: it’s the most wonderful time of the year. And may our sorrow and sighing fly away.
These daily devotions are posted on my homepage" brownnaik.com" You can visit the site and there is link to the pictures of children in two children's homes in Orissa, India. You will also find a link to pictures of Micah and Simeon. Tomorrow is our daughter Laureen's birthday, Laureen was the Lord's Christmas gift to us. She is still the wonderful gift of the Lord to us. She loves Jesus. She loves to sing His praises and she serves Him with joy and gladness. We also wish a happy birthday to our friend Lauren Halverston of Alabama. We are planning for our Christmas caroling this evening. Our choir is planning their annual Christmas Cantata, due to the storm warning the Cantata has been rescheduled for Sunday, December 23, 2007. The name of the Cantata is Touched By A Child, Touched By A King” By John Purifoy, presented by the adult choir and directed by Aric Phinney. Our annual Christmas banquet will be held next Sunday following the second service. Those who live around here can join on cable channel four this evening for our outreach ministry at 7:00 p.m. One of the reasons Jesus came that we might know Him as Lord and Savior and worship Him as our King. Plan to be there in the Lord's House, wherever you are to worship the newborn King, and remember, Jesus doesn't take any excuses. Thank you for sending the gifts for the children in Orissa. We have received money for gifts for 88 children. Praise the Lord for your generosity. One hundred percent of the money will go for the children.
Merry Christmas,
Brown
Friday, December 14, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 12-13-07
Good Morning.
Praise the Lord for this wonderful season. It is going to be stormy and snowy here in New York today. In anticipation of the heavy snow that has been promised throughout the day today, all of the local and area schools have closed for the day.
Praise the Lord, for it is His season. We are the reason He came. He is the reason that we celebrate. He gives us the reason to live. click HERE to see video
In the bustling and hectic world in which we live, it's easy to forget about Him. As we look at Elizabeth and Mary in Luke chapter one, we see how they were able to give God praise and glory in and through some rather unusual circumstances.
Mary has just had a visit from the angel Gabriel. Beginning in Luke 1, verse 28, He said, “Greetings to you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and ever. Even your relative Elizabeth is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
And Mary responded in verse 38, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” When we read the Bible, God takes the Scripture we have heard and He applies it to our lives. We need to say the same thing that Mary did. We need to say, “I am the Lord’s servant. I am willing to let You have Your way in my life. I am willing to let You do impossible things through me.”
In verses 40-41, Mary arrives at the house. She greets Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth hears Mary’s voice, the baby leaped for joy in her womb. People refer to this verse as evidence that unborn children are able to respond to the presence of God. And they’re probably right.
The big message of Christmas, however, is that the coming of Jesus Christ into our world brings great joy that will be for all people. For unto us is born in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. The presence of Jesus Christ is not something to be taken for granted. It is something that should make us leap for joy It’s something that should make us say, “Amen! Hallelujah!”
The presence of Christ in Mary made the unborn John the Baptist leap for joy. It also made Elizabeth rejoice. Verse 41 says that she was filled with the Holy Spirit. And in a loud voice she said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” In other words, Elizabeth was saying, “Praise God that the mother of my Messiah is paying me a visit! I don’t know what I did to deserve this. I don’t know why I am so favored. But what a blessing it is that the mother of my Lord should come to me.” Notice that the emphasis is on the Lordship of Jesus. Jesus is the One we should be worshipping! Jesus is the One we should be praising!
And then Mary said in verse 45, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.” In verses 46-56, Mary gave all the praise and the glory back to God. She said in verse 46, "My soul magnifies the Lord. (We call this section The Magnificat, because it is Mary’s musical magnification of Almighty God.) Then she added, “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty One has done great things for me, holy is His name.”
Mary’s song is a song of faith. Faith grows out of true worship and adoration of God. Worship takes the attention off of us and focuses it on God – on His might, on His power, on His mercy and grace. That environment is perfect for strengthening and deepening faith because faith keeps its vision focused on the word and promises of God and not on the surrounding or prevailing circumstances.
According to Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen” It is believing that because God has declared something, it is already an accomplished fact even if the tangible and visible evidence is not immediately apparent to our visual, tactile and other senses.
So here we hear Mary proclaiming that God has already scattered the proud and arrogant; pulled down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the poor; satisfied the hungry with good nourishment, and sent the self-sufficiently wealthy away empty-handed. But even as she spoke those words her visible material circumstances were no different; she was still a young peasant girl from Nazareth, the Romans and the Jewish sycophant king Herod still ruled Palestine with an iron fist, taxing the people to the benefit of the Emperor and his lackeys, the rich still had their goods and the poor continued to struggle.
Yet, Mary could sing and praise because she already saw a vision of the changed society God was bringing into being where all wrongs will be righted, where every injustice will be corrected, where the oppressed and downtrodden will be lifted up and those who have elevated and exalted themselves will be humbled. Mary’s song is also a song of hope that is nurtured and strengthened and encouraged by her faith. It is a hope that is based in the promise God made to her ancestor Abraham and to all his descendants.
The believer’s hope is always firmly anchored in the faithful, sure, and certain promises of God. Life’s unpredictable circumstances, sometimes favorable and sometimes chaotic, may come and go, but God’s promises will be fulfilled. Jesus affirmed this promise by saying, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away". [Matthew 24:35]
Again this Advent season, He comes to us, the least likely individuals in the least likely of places. God forces Himself upon no one. He takes the initiative and He makes the invitation
Mary's response was to say, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” You and I have a living hope, a steadfast faith, and the experience of God’s eternal and life-transforming love because she said, “Yes”.
Our hurting and broken world awaits our response. May the Lord grant us His grace to make Mary's Magnificat, our own. AMEN.
Brown
Praise the Lord for this wonderful season. It is going to be stormy and snowy here in New York today. In anticipation of the heavy snow that has been promised throughout the day today, all of the local and area schools have closed for the day.
Praise the Lord, for it is His season. We are the reason He came. He is the reason that we celebrate. He gives us the reason to live. click HERE to see video
In the bustling and hectic world in which we live, it's easy to forget about Him. As we look at Elizabeth and Mary in Luke chapter one, we see how they were able to give God praise and glory in and through some rather unusual circumstances.
Mary has just had a visit from the angel Gabriel. Beginning in Luke 1, verse 28, He said, “Greetings to you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and ever. Even your relative Elizabeth is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”
And Mary responded in verse 38, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” When we read the Bible, God takes the Scripture we have heard and He applies it to our lives. We need to say the same thing that Mary did. We need to say, “I am the Lord’s servant. I am willing to let You have Your way in my life. I am willing to let You do impossible things through me.”
In verses 40-41, Mary arrives at the house. She greets Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth hears Mary’s voice, the baby leaped for joy in her womb. People refer to this verse as evidence that unborn children are able to respond to the presence of God. And they’re probably right.
The big message of Christmas, however, is that the coming of Jesus Christ into our world brings great joy that will be for all people. For unto us is born in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. The presence of Jesus Christ is not something to be taken for granted. It is something that should make us leap for joy It’s something that should make us say, “Amen! Hallelujah!”
The presence of Christ in Mary made the unborn John the Baptist leap for joy. It also made Elizabeth rejoice. Verse 41 says that she was filled with the Holy Spirit. And in a loud voice she said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” In other words, Elizabeth was saying, “Praise God that the mother of my Messiah is paying me a visit! I don’t know what I did to deserve this. I don’t know why I am so favored. But what a blessing it is that the mother of my Lord should come to me.” Notice that the emphasis is on the Lordship of Jesus. Jesus is the One we should be worshipping! Jesus is the One we should be praising!
And then Mary said in verse 45, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.” In verses 46-56, Mary gave all the praise and the glory back to God. She said in verse 46, "My soul magnifies the Lord. (We call this section The Magnificat, because it is Mary’s musical magnification of Almighty God.) Then she added, “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty One has done great things for me, holy is His name.”
Mary’s song is a song of faith. Faith grows out of true worship and adoration of God. Worship takes the attention off of us and focuses it on God – on His might, on His power, on His mercy and grace. That environment is perfect for strengthening and deepening faith because faith keeps its vision focused on the word and promises of God and not on the surrounding or prevailing circumstances.
According to Hebrews 11:1, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen” It is believing that because God has declared something, it is already an accomplished fact even if the tangible and visible evidence is not immediately apparent to our visual, tactile and other senses.
So here we hear Mary proclaiming that God has already scattered the proud and arrogant; pulled down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the poor; satisfied the hungry with good nourishment, and sent the self-sufficiently wealthy away empty-handed. But even as she spoke those words her visible material circumstances were no different; she was still a young peasant girl from Nazareth, the Romans and the Jewish sycophant king Herod still ruled Palestine with an iron fist, taxing the people to the benefit of the Emperor and his lackeys, the rich still had their goods and the poor continued to struggle.
Yet, Mary could sing and praise because she already saw a vision of the changed society God was bringing into being where all wrongs will be righted, where every injustice will be corrected, where the oppressed and downtrodden will be lifted up and those who have elevated and exalted themselves will be humbled. Mary’s song is also a song of hope that is nurtured and strengthened and encouraged by her faith. It is a hope that is based in the promise God made to her ancestor Abraham and to all his descendants.
The believer’s hope is always firmly anchored in the faithful, sure, and certain promises of God. Life’s unpredictable circumstances, sometimes favorable and sometimes chaotic, may come and go, but God’s promises will be fulfilled. Jesus affirmed this promise by saying, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away". [Matthew 24:35]
Again this Advent season, He comes to us, the least likely individuals in the least likely of places. God forces Himself upon no one. He takes the initiative and He makes the invitation
Mary's response was to say, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” You and I have a living hope, a steadfast faith, and the experience of God’s eternal and life-transforming love because she said, “Yes”.
Our hurting and broken world awaits our response. May the Lord grant us His grace to make Mary's Magnificat, our own. AMEN.
Brown
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 12-12-07
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for this Holy Season. Praise the Lord for the way He takes ordinary people and transforms them in to His instruments of mighty deeds. Praise the Lord for common people like Mary and Joseph. Somebody once said that the Lord must love common people because He made so many of them.
Before God revealed to Mary her unique place in the world, she was on a different track altogether. She was in the middle of building what she believed would be the good life with her fiancé, Joseph. Like the rest of us, she was busy making her own plans. As quite a young woman, Mary was called to give it all up before she really even got started. God called her to let go of her own plans and to enter into his will
Mary’s story opens quietly in Scripture with a Jewish teenager, probably 14-16 years old, engaged to a carpenter. She was embarking on one of life’s major adventures: her marriage. No doubt she and Joseph, like other young couples, had discussed their wedding plans and dreamed about the rest of their lives together as husband and wife. Then suddenly, on an ordinary day, God sent an unmistakable message to Mary. God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary with startling news. It was a disturbing surprise, to say the least, in the middle of all the plans she was making with Joseph. God spoke directly to her ears and to her heart while she listened intently to every single word.
The angel announced the will of God for Mary’s life. He told her that she would conceive a son, that his name would be Jesus, and that he would be great. I am sure this was a bit confusing for Mary. She felt confused and afraid as she focused on the very question that any virgin would have asked, "How can I have a baby without a husband? This is a physical impossibility."
Don’t you just love Gabriel’s answer? "This is God’s work in you, Mary. Nothing is impossible with God" Nothing is impossible. It is not impossible for a virgin to give birth. It is not impossible for a Savior to come from the house of David, and it is not impossible for the world to find forgiveness and grace. At least, these are not impossible with God, for this is the mighty work of grace and mercy of our God .
To prove the power of God, Gabriel let Mary in on a little secret. He told her about another woman in whose life God was working. He told her that her childless cousin Elizabeth, who was too old to have a baby, was already in her sixth month. Suddenly Mary was jolted out of her own plans, not just for the day, but for the rest of her life. She awakened to the reality that God had something quite different in mind for her and that he could and would accomplish his plans through her.
On the topic of trust it is Mary’s response that makes her the perfect example of full faith and trust. Look again at Luke 1verse 38, "I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me." What trust! What commitment! Oh, that there would be that type of trust in the church today. Mary’s response was that she lived to do God’s will. There was no argument, no complaining, no "But what will the neighbors say?" or "How will Joseph take the news?" Just reckless abandon.
When was the last time you trusted God enough to live in reckless abandon? When was the last time that you felt the tugging at your heart to help someone in need and you did so with out a thought? When was the last time your soul yearned for you to speak or sing God’s praises in public and with reckless abandon you sang, “Great is thy faithfulness, Oh God my Father.” When was the last time you put your reputation, your embarrassment, comfort zone, or money on the line for God? Why is it that we worry so much about what the neighbors say and forget about what God says?
When Mary heard the news she didn’t even think about what the neighbors had to say, and I imagine the neighbors had plenty to say, not just then, but for a long time afterward. Mary’s trust was such a shock to the man she was betrothed to that he considered breaking their engagement, but Mary did not consider her reputation with her neighbors or her relationship with Joseph. She was only concerned with her relationship with God. Mary trusted God.
Mary didn’t hang her head down and wallow in the worries of her circumstances. She didn’t act in fear of what Joseph would think about her or what others might say. Mary trusted that somehow God would take care of those matters, and even more important, she believed that what God had said would happen! His work would be done. She didn’t have a complete understanding of things, and I’m sure that she had more than a few questions along the way, but she knew who to trust.
After God’s revelation to her, Mary’s trust grew even greater, as she expressed her gratitude to him before Jesus was even born. She turned to an older, wiser woman of God who, without question, would understand and be able to share in her joy. She remembered her cousin, Elizabeth, and poured out her faith and her gratitude as she sang the song of her heart recorded in verses 46-55, "My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His handmaiden; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; AND SENT AWAY THE RICH EMPTY-HANDED. He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his offspring forever."
Mary had kept God’s Word in her heart for many years. She knew His promises throughout her family history. Here she was, an ordinary young woman, the one chosen by God to help accomplish his purpose in the world. Of course Mary sang a song of joy.
Today, God still calls us at surprising and unexpected times to accomplish his work in the world. His messages have a way of suddenly turning our lives upside down and right side up, and, like Mary, we can get caught a little off guard at first, stunned with the news before the gratitude sets in. What may appear for a few moments to be our whole undoing can turn out to be the greatest blessing we have ever experienced.
May the Lord, make us like Mary, trusting, risking, abandoning self , seizing the moment. May the Lord grant us courage to be reckless.
In the Grip of His Grace,
Brown
Pray for our friends in OK,KS.
Updates on Irene B.
mom is doing just great as I took her crafts to do ,and her candy molds and some c/chips to make today
P/T can't believe how crafty she is in light of all .But she a strong one as we all know. Getting her balance back and running up and down the halls with her walker
As she says love u all.
"May Jesus get the Glory for Linda's incredible healing and recovery!! Awesome news, because we have an AWESOME GOD!!!" JH
"Hello everyone!
On Sunday, at about 11:45, Andrew Guy Meilunas was born. For those of you that live far away, I could not call you from the hospital. My apologies. But on a very happy note, I'm doing great, the baby is great! He was born 5 pounds, 9 ounces. He is very content, nursing great, and letting me get at least a little bit of sleep. I'm going to take a nap now! I'll talk to most of you Sunday (If I make it!!)
Shannan"
"Br. Brown,
I always look for making it to 12/21. It's the darkest day of the year. I believe if I make it that far, I'm going to make it.
Only 10 more days in this winter in OKC after 3 in a row in Kauai.
Only limbs from trees downed for us. We have our heat and lights. The Lord's name be praised!
Fred".
" Today I had my fifth treatment and I believe in miracles. Dr. Kloss said my blood counts were terrific; almost back to normal. I again am feeling very, very good and give all the glory and praise to Jesus. We continue to believe in the healing power of Jesus; if not, what else is there. Jo and I have our little battles with the enemy but God is faithful. Next week is my sixth and final treatment in this series then 2 weeks off. Please agree with us that there will be a complete cleansing and the next CAT scan is positive.
Please continue your prayers for Jo and me. Without them we're helpless.
God Bless you, each and every one.
Jack & Jo"
"Hi, from Ok
Thought I'd let you know that we are all safe….alittle cold, but spared much, compared to many!! Praise God! I have never seen such a mess…the trees are down everywhere, in everyone's neighborhoods….It is EXTREMELY bad!! Looks like a tornado hit ALL of TULSA and surrounding areas, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Bixby, Owasso….We took pictures, but they are on the camera at home. We will not have one tree left in our backyard after clean up. Hearing the branches as they snap, and the echo of it hitting…baboom…sends chills down you every time….We have power in some buildings at work. Alex, Martin, Alicia, Diana, Hannah & Joseph are staying with Martin's mother…she has power, Praise the Lord, and bless her, she has EVERYONE there…filled to the Brim! Desiree & Jason in Stroud are without power also, but they do have a wood burning stove. Power is out from Oklahoma City up past Tulsa….it is one of those incredible storms…impacting many! The Power company is saying power will be on by 12/18….WE are PRAYING for much sooner, thankyou for agreeing in prayer with me on that!!
OKLAHOMA & every resident could use your prayers!
Thanks,
Julia "
" Pastor Brown,
Thank you for your beautiful message of 12/7. I so enjoy all of your writings.
Thanks for the time you put into it.
God bless you,
Judy "
"Thank you both for sharing your message and sharing the message of my father's heart with others. We appreciate you.
Blessings, Luanne"
Praise the Lord for this Holy Season. Praise the Lord for the way He takes ordinary people and transforms them in to His instruments of mighty deeds. Praise the Lord for common people like Mary and Joseph. Somebody once said that the Lord must love common people because He made so many of them.
Before God revealed to Mary her unique place in the world, she was on a different track altogether. She was in the middle of building what she believed would be the good life with her fiancé, Joseph. Like the rest of us, she was busy making her own plans. As quite a young woman, Mary was called to give it all up before she really even got started. God called her to let go of her own plans and to enter into his will
Mary’s story opens quietly in Scripture with a Jewish teenager, probably 14-16 years old, engaged to a carpenter. She was embarking on one of life’s major adventures: her marriage. No doubt she and Joseph, like other young couples, had discussed their wedding plans and dreamed about the rest of their lives together as husband and wife. Then suddenly, on an ordinary day, God sent an unmistakable message to Mary. God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary with startling news. It was a disturbing surprise, to say the least, in the middle of all the plans she was making with Joseph. God spoke directly to her ears and to her heart while she listened intently to every single word.
The angel announced the will of God for Mary’s life. He told her that she would conceive a son, that his name would be Jesus, and that he would be great. I am sure this was a bit confusing for Mary. She felt confused and afraid as she focused on the very question that any virgin would have asked, "How can I have a baby without a husband? This is a physical impossibility."
Don’t you just love Gabriel’s answer? "This is God’s work in you, Mary. Nothing is impossible with God" Nothing is impossible. It is not impossible for a virgin to give birth. It is not impossible for a Savior to come from the house of David, and it is not impossible for the world to find forgiveness and grace. At least, these are not impossible with God, for this is the mighty work of grace and mercy of our God .
To prove the power of God, Gabriel let Mary in on a little secret. He told her about another woman in whose life God was working. He told her that her childless cousin Elizabeth, who was too old to have a baby, was already in her sixth month. Suddenly Mary was jolted out of her own plans, not just for the day, but for the rest of her life. She awakened to the reality that God had something quite different in mind for her and that he could and would accomplish his plans through her.
On the topic of trust it is Mary’s response that makes her the perfect example of full faith and trust. Look again at Luke 1verse 38, "I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me." What trust! What commitment! Oh, that there would be that type of trust in the church today. Mary’s response was that she lived to do God’s will. There was no argument, no complaining, no "But what will the neighbors say?" or "How will Joseph take the news?" Just reckless abandon.
When was the last time you trusted God enough to live in reckless abandon? When was the last time that you felt the tugging at your heart to help someone in need and you did so with out a thought? When was the last time your soul yearned for you to speak or sing God’s praises in public and with reckless abandon you sang, “Great is thy faithfulness, Oh God my Father.” When was the last time you put your reputation, your embarrassment, comfort zone, or money on the line for God? Why is it that we worry so much about what the neighbors say and forget about what God says?
When Mary heard the news she didn’t even think about what the neighbors had to say, and I imagine the neighbors had plenty to say, not just then, but for a long time afterward. Mary’s trust was such a shock to the man she was betrothed to that he considered breaking their engagement, but Mary did not consider her reputation with her neighbors or her relationship with Joseph. She was only concerned with her relationship with God. Mary trusted God.
Mary didn’t hang her head down and wallow in the worries of her circumstances. She didn’t act in fear of what Joseph would think about her or what others might say. Mary trusted that somehow God would take care of those matters, and even more important, she believed that what God had said would happen! His work would be done. She didn’t have a complete understanding of things, and I’m sure that she had more than a few questions along the way, but she knew who to trust.
After God’s revelation to her, Mary’s trust grew even greater, as she expressed her gratitude to him before Jesus was even born. She turned to an older, wiser woman of God who, without question, would understand and be able to share in her joy. She remembered her cousin, Elizabeth, and poured out her faith and her gratitude as she sang the song of her heart recorded in verses 46-55, "My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His handmaiden; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; AND SENT AWAY THE RICH EMPTY-HANDED. He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his offspring forever."
Mary had kept God’s Word in her heart for many years. She knew His promises throughout her family history. Here she was, an ordinary young woman, the one chosen by God to help accomplish his purpose in the world. Of course Mary sang a song of joy.
Today, God still calls us at surprising and unexpected times to accomplish his work in the world. His messages have a way of suddenly turning our lives upside down and right side up, and, like Mary, we can get caught a little off guard at first, stunned with the news before the gratitude sets in. What may appear for a few moments to be our whole undoing can turn out to be the greatest blessing we have ever experienced.
May the Lord, make us like Mary, trusting, risking, abandoning self , seizing the moment. May the Lord grant us courage to be reckless.
In the Grip of His Grace,
Brown
Pray for our friends in OK,KS.
Updates on Irene B.
mom is doing just great as I took her crafts to do ,and her candy molds and some c/chips to make today
P/T can't believe how crafty she is in light of all .But she a strong one as we all know. Getting her balance back and running up and down the halls with her walker
As she says love u all.
"May Jesus get the Glory for Linda's incredible healing and recovery!! Awesome news, because we have an AWESOME GOD!!!" JH
"Hello everyone!
On Sunday, at about 11:45, Andrew Guy Meilunas was born. For those of you that live far away, I could not call you from the hospital. My apologies. But on a very happy note, I'm doing great, the baby is great! He was born 5 pounds, 9 ounces. He is very content, nursing great, and letting me get at least a little bit of sleep. I'm going to take a nap now! I'll talk to most of you Sunday (If I make it!!)
Shannan"
"Br. Brown,
I always look for making it to 12/21. It's the darkest day of the year. I believe if I make it that far, I'm going to make it.
Only 10 more days in this winter in OKC after 3 in a row in Kauai.
Only limbs from trees downed for us. We have our heat and lights. The Lord's name be praised!
Fred".
" Today I had my fifth treatment and I believe in miracles. Dr. Kloss said my blood counts were terrific; almost back to normal. I again am feeling very, very good and give all the glory and praise to Jesus. We continue to believe in the healing power of Jesus; if not, what else is there. Jo and I have our little battles with the enemy but God is faithful. Next week is my sixth and final treatment in this series then 2 weeks off. Please agree with us that there will be a complete cleansing and the next CAT scan is positive.
Please continue your prayers for Jo and me. Without them we're helpless.
God Bless you, each and every one.
Jack & Jo"
"Hi, from Ok
Thought I'd let you know that we are all safe….alittle cold, but spared much, compared to many!! Praise God! I have never seen such a mess…the trees are down everywhere, in everyone's neighborhoods….It is EXTREMELY bad!! Looks like a tornado hit ALL of TULSA and surrounding areas, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Bixby, Owasso….We took pictures, but they are on the camera at home. We will not have one tree left in our backyard after clean up. Hearing the branches as they snap, and the echo of it hitting…baboom…sends chills down you every time….We have power in some buildings at work. Alex, Martin, Alicia, Diana, Hannah & Joseph are staying with Martin's mother…she has power, Praise the Lord, and bless her, she has EVERYONE there…filled to the Brim! Desiree & Jason in Stroud are without power also, but they do have a wood burning stove. Power is out from Oklahoma City up past Tulsa….it is one of those incredible storms…impacting many! The Power company is saying power will be on by 12/18….WE are PRAYING for much sooner, thankyou for agreeing in prayer with me on that!!
OKLAHOMA & every resident could use your prayers!
Thanks,
Julia "
" Pastor Brown,
Thank you for your beautiful message of 12/7. I so enjoy all of your writings.
Thanks for the time you put into it.
God bless you,
Judy "
"Thank you both for sharing your message and sharing the message of my father's heart with others. We appreciate you.
Blessings, Luanne"
Monday, December 10, 2007
Brown's Daily Word 12-10-07
Good Morning,
Praise the Lord for the life that the Lord of life offers to us. Praise the Lord for the way that we can worship Him as our Lord and Savior. I love the Advent season as we journey to Bethlehem through the pathways of prophecies of the Old Testament. Our youth led the service yesterday. The Lord blessed us through their testimony and presentation. The Old Testament reading for yesterday was taken from Isaiah 11. We share the sorrow and grief of the families and loved ones of those who have been killed in Church settings on Lord's Day, by acts of random and reckless violence. Yet, we will keep on worshipping the Lord grace and forgiveness. We will continue to declare that our Lord reigns.
The time is darker now, the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer. "Watchman, what of the night?" The time of Advent brings the assurance that although the ax is laid to the root of the tree, as John so forcefully stated, yet the promise of God is not destroyed. "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:1-3)
This is a powerful word of hope as the light continues to recede; it provides an awareness that God's plan and purpose is not negated by our sinfulness, that the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world is no afterthought; rather "He was destined before the foundation of the world..." (I Peter 1:20) and made manifest to us and all people in the Incarnation which we celebrate at the time of Christmas. This does not mean in any sense that God ignores our evil ways and disregards the "sin which clings so closely." (Hebrews 12:1) The fact is that God takes seriously the reality that so often we stray from the "paths of righteousness" and fall into misery and despair. Advent reminds us that rather than forsake us in such times, God chooses to visit us, to come to us, to suffer and die for us, and to open for us the gates of new life. God's resistance to sin is precisely because God wishes for us the best and grieves when we turn away into darkness. God breaks up the night with the brilliance of love and mercy and shatters the bonds which cut so deeply into our flesh and bones.
So it is that Isaiah paints a graphic picture for us of God's justice and mercy. God "will not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;..." (Isaiah 11:3,4) This is another way of saying "... man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart." (I Samuel 16:7)
This puts a proper perspective on the way we see our people and, for that matter, the way we see all people. It is our privilege to see beyond the obvious to the significant rather than reach judgments by considering only the external dimensions of what persons do. To be sure, it is quite important to take seriously what we see and hear; but in a Christian perspective we can look deeper than the surface. The basic image by which we measure our own perception of persons is summarized in the so-called "Kenosis" passage in Philippians 2. Phillips translates verse 4, "None of you should think only of his own affairs, but should learn to see things from other people's point of view." This is followed by the magnificent words of how Christ Jesus did not grasp equality with God but came to us in humility taking upon himself the burden of our sins, identifying with us as we are so that we, through him, can become who we were created to be. From this perspective it is possible to reach a deeper understanding of persons than might be derived from purely external observation.
There is never any assurance that the door will be opened; but it does happen. In Advent we can expect the unexpected. Isaiah's words are dazzling. Wolves dwell with lambs, leopards lie down with kids, calves and lions and little children find peace. It is the promise which sustains us and the people who are entrusted to us. God draws near in the birth of Christ, and we are privileged to see the deeper meaning in what is apparent. We have the privilege of enabling our people to do the same - to see beyond the tinsel and bustle, the pain and the suffering, the loneliness, and the anxiety and know that the Lord God, the Omnipotent reigns. To be sure, we do not yet see all things in subjection to God. "But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor..." (Hebrews 2:9) Nowhere is this more evident than in Advent. As Paul put it, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13)
In Christ,
Brown
Praise the Lord for the following:
Linda Ayer - the Lord has given her a speedy recovery and she thanks you for praying for her.
Mike and Shannan, who came to worship the Lord yesterday as they do faithfully every Sunday. Shannan participated in praise and prayer and then, after the benediction, she started have labor pains. They drove to the hospital. At the end of the second worship service Shannan delivered her second son, born healthy and strong. Shannon told me that the delivery of the baby was brisk and vigorous. Praise the Lord for all His little lambs. May He keep them safe in His arms.
Alex and Mary are blessed with a newborn son, Andrew Craig. The 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 Butterworth are blessed with a daughter, Louisa Eileen. Happy grandparents are Dave and Linda Barton. Great grandfather is Reid Barton.
Pray for the family of Geraldine Oakes, Gerald died last week. She was 88 yrs. old. She was a wonderful sister and faithful friend to Betty DuBois.
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.Jack Black, Mehlon and Eloise Tewksbury
Pray for Desiree and Jason, in OK, who are expecting their second son some time this week.
And please continue to pray for Scott and his family as Social Services reviews their case. It is sad in deed to have this upheaval during the holidays. But then they do not have the Lord in their hearts. I try every time we visit to teach Allyson more about the Lord.
"I am pleased to announce that we collect $175.00 this morning to buy outfits for the children in India. That is so much more than I expected on such a short notice. I am very pleased with the congregations gifts. There were lots of laughs and smiles. Everything went well... PJCARES in Vermont.
Praise the Lord for the life that the Lord of life offers to us. Praise the Lord for the way that we can worship Him as our Lord and Savior. I love the Advent season as we journey to Bethlehem through the pathways of prophecies of the Old Testament. Our youth led the service yesterday. The Lord blessed us through their testimony and presentation. The Old Testament reading for yesterday was taken from Isaiah 11. We share the sorrow and grief of the families and loved ones of those who have been killed in Church settings on Lord's Day, by acts of random and reckless violence. Yet, we will keep on worshipping the Lord grace and forgiveness. We will continue to declare that our Lord reigns.
The time is darker now, the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer. "Watchman, what of the night?" The time of Advent brings the assurance that although the ax is laid to the root of the tree, as John so forcefully stated, yet the promise of God is not destroyed. "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." (Isaiah 11:1-3)
This is a powerful word of hope as the light continues to recede; it provides an awareness that God's plan and purpose is not negated by our sinfulness, that the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world is no afterthought; rather "He was destined before the foundation of the world..." (I Peter 1:20) and made manifest to us and all people in the Incarnation which we celebrate at the time of Christmas. This does not mean in any sense that God ignores our evil ways and disregards the "sin which clings so closely." (Hebrews 12:1) The fact is that God takes seriously the reality that so often we stray from the "paths of righteousness" and fall into misery and despair. Advent reminds us that rather than forsake us in such times, God chooses to visit us, to come to us, to suffer and die for us, and to open for us the gates of new life. God's resistance to sin is precisely because God wishes for us the best and grieves when we turn away into darkness. God breaks up the night with the brilliance of love and mercy and shatters the bonds which cut so deeply into our flesh and bones.
So it is that Isaiah paints a graphic picture for us of God's justice and mercy. God "will not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;..." (Isaiah 11:3,4) This is another way of saying "... man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart." (I Samuel 16:7)
This puts a proper perspective on the way we see our people and, for that matter, the way we see all people. It is our privilege to see beyond the obvious to the significant rather than reach judgments by considering only the external dimensions of what persons do. To be sure, it is quite important to take seriously what we see and hear; but in a Christian perspective we can look deeper than the surface. The basic image by which we measure our own perception of persons is summarized in the so-called "Kenosis" passage in Philippians 2. Phillips translates verse 4, "None of you should think only of his own affairs, but should learn to see things from other people's point of view." This is followed by the magnificent words of how Christ Jesus did not grasp equality with God but came to us in humility taking upon himself the burden of our sins, identifying with us as we are so that we, through him, can become who we were created to be. From this perspective it is possible to reach a deeper understanding of persons than might be derived from purely external observation.
There is never any assurance that the door will be opened; but it does happen. In Advent we can expect the unexpected. Isaiah's words are dazzling. Wolves dwell with lambs, leopards lie down with kids, calves and lions and little children find peace. It is the promise which sustains us and the people who are entrusted to us. God draws near in the birth of Christ, and we are privileged to see the deeper meaning in what is apparent. We have the privilege of enabling our people to do the same - to see beyond the tinsel and bustle, the pain and the suffering, the loneliness, and the anxiety and know that the Lord God, the Omnipotent reigns. To be sure, we do not yet see all things in subjection to God. "But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor..." (Hebrews 2:9) Nowhere is this more evident than in Advent. As Paul put it, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13)
In Christ,
Brown
Praise the Lord for the following:
Linda Ayer - the Lord has given her a speedy recovery and she thanks you for praying for her.
Mike and Shannan, who came to worship the Lord yesterday as they do faithfully every Sunday. Shannan participated in praise and prayer and then, after the benediction, she started have labor pains. They drove to the hospital. At the end of the second worship service Shannan delivered her second son, born healthy and strong. Shannon told me that the delivery of the baby was brisk and vigorous. Praise the Lord for all His little lambs. May He keep them safe in His arms.
Alex and Mary are blessed with a newborn son, Andrew Craig. The 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 Butterworth are blessed with a daughter, Louisa Eileen. Happy grandparents are Dave and Linda Barton. Great grandfather is Reid Barton.
Pray for the family of Geraldine Oakes, Gerald died last week. She was 88 yrs. old. She was a wonderful sister and faithful friend to Betty DuBois.
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.Jack Black, Mehlon and Eloise Tewksbury
Pray for Desiree and Jason, in OK, who are expecting their second son some time this week.
And please continue to pray for Scott and his family as Social Services reviews their case. It is sad in deed to have this upheaval during the holidays. But then they do not have the Lord in their hearts. I try every time we visit to teach Allyson more about the Lord.
"I am pleased to announce that we collect $175.00 this morning to buy outfits for the children in India. That is so much more than I expected on such a short notice. I am very pleased with the congregations gifts. There were lots of laughs and smiles. Everything went well... PJCARES in Vermont.
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